Liquidation is a legal process, but from humanitarian aspect govt is responsible towards mill employees: Pijush Hazarika

Sept. 4: Assam Cabinet Minister Pijush Hazarika did not wish to comment on the matter of the evacuation order served by the liquidator of two paper mills of Assam. The minister was, however, was quick to add that, “From the humanitarian aspect, the government is responsible towards the paper mill employees.

Infact, the employees of Nagaon Paper Mill (NPM) and Cachar Paper Mill (CPM) in Assam have been asked to vacate their accommodation /quarters within 15 days or will be faced with legal action. This was stated in a notification by the liquidator of Hindustan Paper Corporation Ltd, Kuldeep Verma on Friday. The notification further stated that failure to do so will result in legal action against the employees who refuse to comply.

The paper mill employees organisations since the last 100 days have sat in meeting for several times. The mill employees have made it clear that an amount of Rs. 530 crore was required to pay their dues; and if other arrears are calculated together, then the amount would rise to Rs. 600 crore. The Chief Minister has assured that the government is ready to provide that amount of Rs.600 to Rs. 650 crore within a week’s time. The CM also offered to provide job to 100 eligible employees of now defunct paper mills. This was informed by Minister Pijush Hazarika.

The minister further informed that the mill employees’ organisations even agreed to the offer of the Chief Minister, but, later, a section of the union employees started to register new objections. Even the the amount of arrears of salary and other dues has been decided by the unions. Pijush Hazarika stated that the only condition of the government was that the employees need to vacate their quarters and immediately after that, the government will pay the dues within a week.

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 56 months.