Paper Mill employees to get some ‘good news’ soon: Pijush Hazarika

December 27: On one hand, a circular has been issued on behalf of the liquidators of Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited (HPCL) asking “residents of respective quarters of HPC Ltd (including HPC Salt lake housing complex) of all locations to vacate their quarters by 31.01.2020 and on the other, the employees of the two paper mills at Nagaon and Panchgram along with their family members are determined not to vacate their quarters until their pending salaries are paid.

In the midst of this enveloping darkness, there seems to be a little ray of hope. Assam Minister of State for health & family welfare Pijush Hazarika on Friday reiterated that ‘some good news’ is on the way for the employees of paper mill workers of Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited (HPCL). Hazarika further declined to divulge what ‘good news’ is in store for the workers.

When asked about the order issued by the liquidator to vacate the quarters, Minister Hazarika said “Though the circular has come but we would not obey it until the pending salaries of the employees are disbursed. If need arises and anybody comes to vacate the quarters, I will jump in the front to protect them.”

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.

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 35 and 33 months.

The employees of Cachar Paper Mill & Nagaon Paper Mill along with their family members held a protest demonstration on receiving the order of the Liquidator regarding vacating of residential quarters of the HPCL owned mills by 31 January, 2020. Speaking to newsmen, the employees and their family members categorically stated that they are going to defy this order. An employee of Panchgram mill said, “Give us our pending dues and then we promise to leave the quarters within an hour.”

Though the employees of both the two mills had enough of tall promises made to them by the centre and the states, yet at this hour there seems to be no other way but to wait with hope for the ‘good news’ assured by minister Pijush Hazarika for the employees of the two mills.

Also Read: Paper Mill employees & family members stages dharna, refuses to vacate quarters