GUWAHATI: The Assam government has written a letter to the liquidator of Hindustan Paper Corporation Ltd (HPCL) seeking a month’s time to revive the paper mills at Jagiroad and Panchgram besides clearing all outstanding dues of the employees and workers.
The move comes just three days ahead of the National Company Law Tribunal’s (NCLT) crucial hearing on Monday that will decide the fate of the two paper mills which have been non-operational for over three and a half years now.
The commissioner and secretary of the Assam industries and commerce department, in the letter to the HPCL liquidator on Thursday, sought grant of one month’s time from NCLT, informing that it was “pursuing the matter with the central government for revival of the closed mills and clearances of all dues of employees and workers.”
Cachar Paper Mills Workers Union president, Manobendra Chakraborty told The Shillong Times on Saturday that the liquidator has in the meantime submitted the letter to the NCLT.
“Now it is up to the NCLT whether to accept or reject the request of the Assam government because the government has not responded in this regard for the past four years. The response has only come with the Assembly elections just a few months away,” Chakraborty said.
The Joint Action Committee of Recognised Unions (JACRU), Nagaon and Cachar paper mills, however will contest the case in the NCLT on Monday.
“On behalf of JACRU, as the president of the Cachar Paper Mills Workers Union president, I will contest the case,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Jagiroad unit of the All Assam Students Union, has staged a 10-hour hunger strike from 7am in front of the Nagaon Paper Mill on Saturday demanding revival of the mills. Two unions of Nagaon Paper Mill have also associated with the strike.
It may be mentioned that several thousands of employees and workers of the two mills have not received salaries and other dues for close to four years now.
The All India United Democratic Front had last Wednesday urged Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal to write a letter to the NCLT conveying its willingness to revive the Nagaon Paper Mill in Jagiroad and Cachar Paper Mill in Panchgram as per proposal submitted and defer any decision to auction the mills.