GUWAHATI: The Delhi High Court has granted relief to over 1200 workers of the Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited (HPCL), which operates two mills in Assam – Cachar Paper Mill and Nagaon Paper Mill.
The High Court bench of Justice Najmi Waziri on Friday directed the liquidator of HPCL and the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to disburse 20 per cent (Rs 42 crore) of the Provident Fund amount to the workers within one week.
The High Court further directed the liquidator and the EPFO to disburse the remaining PF amount of over Rs 160 crore at the earliest, a statement by the Joint Action Committee of Recognised Unions (JACRU), Nagaon and Cachar Paper Mills, Assam, said on Saturday.
In January earlier this year, the Delhi High Court had passed another order in the same matter protecting the workers from eviction from their quarters.
HPCL, wholly owned by the government of India, went into liquidation in 2018, while workers have not been paid their wages, PF and other statutory dues for 39 months, since January 2017.
Over 60 workers have died during this period unable to afford medical treatment owing to financial constraints.
A report of the Assistant Labour Commissioner, government of Assam, noted in July 2019 that owing to the non-payment of salaries, “the family members were helpless and could not bear the medical expenditures of the deceased employees and practically most of them died without medical treatment”.
The total dues owed to the 1200 workers is over Rs 600 crore, and while Parliament allocated Rs 90 crore in July 2018 for disbursement of salaries to the workers, the same has not been done till date.
Delhi High Court directed the counsel appearing for Union of India to respond to this issue on the next date of hearing, which is on May 21, 2020.
“As many as 65 workers have died so far owing to starvation and lack of treatment, the latest casualty being a worker from Cachar Paper Mill who died on Thursday after battling a kidney ailment. While the central government’s attitude has left a lot to be desired, the High Court has come to the rescue of the workers now. We believe justice will be done and workers will get their entire legitimate dues,” Manobendra Chakraborty, president, JACRU, Nagaon and Cachar Paper Mills, Assam, said.