GUWAHATI: The Joint Action Committee of Recognised Unions (JACRU), Nagaon and Cachar Paper Mills, Assam, has reposed full faith on the judiciary in the wake of Delhi High Court taking serious note of the plight of the workers of the two mills in Assam.
The court has in its latest order considered the difficulties faced by the workers of the mills owing to non-payment of salary/statutory dues for over 36 months now and stated that the plight of the workers needed immediate amelioration even as the residential quarter vacation notice has been put in abeyance till the next date of hearing.
The order mentions that Vivek Sibal, the counsel for the liquidator, had submitted that the workmen would first have charge over lien that may be recovered towards payment of wages.
“Therefore, the endeavour of such exercise ought to be that the workmen be paid some money right away and not continue to be deprived of all sources of sustenance,” the order had stated.
It may be mentioned that the court had provided interim relief by recently passing a stay order on Hindustan Paper Corporation Ltd liquidator’s notification to employees of the mills to vacate their residential quarters within January 31, 2020.
Welcoming the court order, JACRU (Assam) president, Manobendra Chakraborty reposed full faith on the judiciary and said that with the latest order, the Delhi High Court has taken serious note of the workers’ condition.
“The court had in its recent order sought replies from the government of India, Central Provident Fund Commissioner and the HPCL liquidator before the date of argument on February 25,” Chakraborty told The Shillong Times on Wednesday.
