Hearing of HPC Paper Mills case adjourned again at NCLT

Sept. 21: The fate of the two defunct HPC paper mills of Assam (Nagaon & Panchgram) was supposed to be decided at National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on 21 September, 2020. However, the matter for hearing at NCLT, Delhi on Monday was adjourned. The next date for hearing at NCLT is fixed on 07 October. This was informed by Manabendra Chakraborty, President of CPPWU (INTUC) & JACRU. Earlier, the matter was supposed to come up at NCLT, New Delhi on 14 September, which was then adjourned and re-fixed on  21 September.

It needs mention here that the Industry and Commerce department of government of Assam on 10 September wrote to Kuldeep Verma, Liquidator of HPCL seeking one month time for revival of the defunct HPC paper mills as the “state government is making sincere efforts and pursuing the matter with the central government for revival of the closed mills and clearance of all dues of employees and workers”.

Manabendra Chakraborty in a press release issued on Monday stated, ” As on today, no information was received on any formal proposal from the Government, If the Government is genuinely sincere about their commitment, the formal proposal of reviving the paper mills must reach the NCLT before the next hearing on 7 October. This is as per information received from our Advocate.”

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 45 and 43 months.