Paper mills' workers welcome Dispur's move to acquire HPCL assets

Sanctioning of Rs 375 crore to participate in auction

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Joint Action Committee of Recognized Unions (JACRU) of the Nagaon and Cachar paper mills on Sunday expressed satisfaction at the State Government's decision to sanction Rs 375 crore for participating in the auction to take over the assets of the closed Assam-based units of the Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited (HPCL), including a leasehold plot of land in Haflong.

Talking to The Sentinel, JACRU president Manobendra Chakraborty said that they had been raising the demand time and again that the two paper mills and its assets, which constitute a national asset, should remain under the control of the Government.

"The Assam Cabinet's move to sanction a sum of Rs 375 crore is a positive sign about its interest of taking over the ailing industries. The Government should acquire the mills and make them a going concern again to ensure industrial development of the State," Chakraborty said.

However, Chakraborty said, the paper mills' employees have been deeply hurt at the statement of the State Government that it would take three more months to release the promised relief package for proving succour to the cash-strapped employees.

He said that the State Government had signed an agreement with various unions of the two paper mills in the city on September 28 last year, whereby a relief package of Rs 570 crore was to be released within two months, i.e. by November-end, 2021. However, there has been no sign of the relief package even though six months have elapsed since then, he said. Instead, he pointed out, the State Government is now seeking an additional three months to release the relief package.

It may be recalled that the Cachar Paper Mill at Panchgram in the Hailakandi district has been non-functional since October, 2015. On the other hand, the Nagaon Paper Mill at Jagiroad in the Nagaon district has been non-functional since March, 2017. While employees of the Cachar Paper Mill have not received salaries for the last 62 months, their counterparts of the Nagaon Paper Mill have not received salaries for the last 60 months.

According to Chakraborty, as many as 101 employees of the two mills have died since the closure of the industries, mostly because of lack of medical treatment due to financial crisis, despite suffering from various critical ailments. Four among the deceased committed suicide, he pointed out.

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