85th employee of paper mill dies without salary & dues since last 52 months

April 23: The word ‘death’ is sending a chill of horror in the corridors of the now defunct Nagaon and Panchgram Paper Mills. On one hand, when the procession of deaths due to COVID-19 is going on unabated, on the other, being deprived of salary since last 52 months, employees of the two HPC Paper Mills are embracing death one after another. The employees of the now defunct paper mills are moving ahead towards the valley of death.

On Friday, another employee of now defunct Cachar Paper Mill breathed his last. The deceased employee Amrit Lal Deb retired from services on 31 December, 2018 without receiving a single penny as retirement dues. He died on 23 April, 2021 at 4.30 PM. He was suffering from Liver Disease. He failed to afford the desired treatment due to non-payment of salary since last 52 months and ultimately passed away. “Without money, we were unable to afford good treatment of Amrit Lal Deb, who ultimately breathed his last due to the apathy of the government,” said one of his relative.

Manabendra Chakraborty, trade union leader of the mill said, “These are not general deaths. Amrit Lal Deb joined the long procession of deaths of our employees without getting any proper treatment. How can you afford treatment when you are not paid your salaries since last 52 months? How many deaths will wake up the govt from their deep slumber?”  With this, the death toll at HPC Paper Mill has now reached 85 including 3 suicides.

Cachar Paper Mill and Nagaon Paper Mill run by Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited (HPCL) have been non-functional since 20 October 2015 and 13 March 2017 respectively. The employees of the two mills have not received salaries for the past 52 months.