Delhi High Court issues stay order on vacating HPC’s quarter by its employees

January 28: In a great relief for the HPC Paper Mill Employees of Nagaon and Panchgram, Delhi High Court on Tuesday passed a stay order over the Order of Liquidator of HPC to vacate the quarter of the employees within 31 January, 2020. The stay order was issued by Justice Nazim Waziri of Delhi High Court in response to a writ petition filed by Cachar Paper Project Workers’ Union.

The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had in November 2019 ordered the liquidation of the Nagaon and Cachar paper mills after the central government refused to release Rs 98 lakh that Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited (HPCL) owed to a company named Allow & Metals as payment for raw materials the latter supplied to the two paper mills. A  circular has been issued on behalf of the liquidators of Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited (HPCL) on 23 December, 2019 asking “residents of respective quarters of HPC Ltd (including HPC Salt lake housing complex) of all locations to kindly vacate their quarters by 31.01.2020”.

Manobendra Chakraborty, President of Nagaon & Cachar Paper Mill Union in a press release stated that “The honourable court has taken serious note that due to nonpayment of salary and statutory dues to 60 workers who died. Court has also directed Central Provident Fund Commissioner, Delhi to reply as to why PF has not been released” The Writ Petition was Cachar Paper Project Worker Union (INTUC) VS Union of India & Another. The case of the workers union pleaded by Advocate Mr Colin Gonsalves & his team.

Also Read: Slogans on the wall of defunct Pachgram Paper Mill speaks volume of apathy

By Tuesday’s order of the High Court, Interim relief has been extended to the workers/employees who were supposed to be homeless by 31 January. Manobendra Chakraborty further stated, “In the struggle we have been extended support by former MP Sushmita Dev, Ripun Bora, Sarat Barkotaki & Dristi Foundation.”

Ananda Bordoloi, General Secretary, JACRU, Nagaon & Cachar Paper Mill said, “We have full faith on judiciary and confidence that justice would be delivered.”

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 36 and 34 months.

Also Read: Employees of Cachar and Nagaon paper mills left abandoned at the mercy of none!