GUWAHATI: The Hindustan Paper Corporation (HPC) Mills Revival Action Committee, a conglomeration of organisations and political parties, has called a 12-hour Barak Valley and central Assam bandh on November 22 in protest against the “apathy” and “partisan” approach of the Centre towards revival of the Cachar and Nagaon paper mills.
Operations in Cachar Paper Mill at Panchgram have been suspended since October 20, 2015 while production at Nagaon Paper Mill at Jagiroad came to a halt on March 13, 2017.
“At a time when the revival package of Rs 1900 crore for the mills is pending with the Prime Minister’s Office, the Centre has granted Rs 5,000crore for textile industries, most of which are in Gujarat, Rs 469crore to a paper mill in Madhya Pradesh in October while several thousand crores have been approved for development in Uttar Pradesh.
It is very unfortunate and also at the same time this is a clear indication that government is distributing the tax payers’ money to develop other parts of the country while the Northeast remains neglected and untouched while even after so many promises and assurance,” Manabendra Chakraborty, the chief convenor of the newly-formed committee, told The Shillong Times on Tuesday.
“Assurances by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the last Assembly elections that the mill will be revived under the Act East Policy for employment generation and economic development have fallen flat as well,” Chakraborty said.
Declared as a Mini Ratna company during the term of the erstwhile UPA government, HPCL has been making profits since 2009.
The committee representatives say that they would continue to protest till the demand for revival of the mills is not met.
“Three lakh people engaged directly and indirectly by the corporation have lost their jobs, 39 died in harness, of which two committed suicide.
The government has not paid salary for 23 months now. Raw materials such as bamboo, worth crores of rupees, have been damaged since suspension of operations in the area.
The economy of not just Assam but the neighbouring states, has taken a hit as the raw materials come from states like Meghalaya,” he said.
Alleging that the mills have taken a toll owing to the “colonial attitude” of the Centre, he said that the government has indirectly helped private players to mint money through monopoly business after suspension of operations in the two mills.
“Now, the government is procuring paper from China and Korea by spending Rs 9223crore to meet domestic needs. As a result, the cost of paper has increased from Rs 45,000 per metric tonne at the time of suspension of operations to Rs 1lakh per metric tonne now,” Chakraborty said.
The committee convenor however also accused the chief minister for not living up to his commitment and promisses of developing the mills in six months when he visited Barak Valley in November last year.
It has been since the scenario had worsen rapidly for the people and the workers.
“Worse still, the money of the employees, vendors, including those from Meghalaya, has not been released,” he said.
It may be mentioned that the committee had in September staged a four-hour blockade on National Highway 6 and National Highway 37 as the first of the series of protests demanding revival of the mills at the earliest.
