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Ray of Hope: BJP MP’s from Assam meets Heavy Industries Minister for revival of HPC Paper Millsকাগজ কল খোলার আর্জি জানিয়ে বিজেপি সাংসদরা ভারিশিল্প মন্ত্রীর কাছে, সঙ্গে পীযূষও
তবে বরাক উপত্যকার একমাত্র ভারি শিল্প বলে শিলচরের সাংসদ রাজদীপ রায় এ দিন গুরুত্বপূর্ণ ভূমিকা নেন। মিল পুনরুজ্জীবিত করার জন্য জোরালো দাবি তোলেন। স্মারকলিপি ছাড়াও মিল নিয়ে সরকারের সামনে তিনটি পথ খোলা রয়েছে। বিক্রি করে দেওয়া যেতে পারে, পুরো সরকারি উদ্যোগে ফের চালু করা যেতে পারে। নইলে সরকারি-বেসরকারি অংশীদারি অর্থাত পিপিপি মডেলে নেওয়া যেতে পারে।
সব শুনে মন্ত্রী সাওয়ান্ত বলেন, তিনি সমস্যার ব্যাপারে অবগত রয়েছেন। সমাধানের রাস্তা খুঁজে দেখছেন। কিন্তু সে ক্ষেত্রে নিতি আয়োগের নিয়মকানুন যে কঠোরভাবে মেনে চলতে হবে, সে কথাও স্মরণ করিয়ে দেন তিনি।
Production at Panchgram Paper Mill, Cachar was suspended on 20 October, 2015 whereas, the Nagaon Paper Mill at Jagiroad was closed on 13 March, 2017. The delegation also handed over a memorandum to the Minister in this regard which was signed by all present there. In the said memorandum, the delegation apprised the Union Minister about the history and present status of the two paper mills situated at Nagaon and Panchgram. They also stated that the employees of both the paper mills have not received their salaries for more than two years.
They explained to the minister that the Nagaon Paper Mill at a particular point of time was the first paper millthe world to produce Kraft pulp with 100 percent bamboo as raw material. Similarly, Cachar Paper Mill, situated by the lade of the Barak river in the Haliakandi District of Assam was the only major industrial undertaking in south Assam. These were established in 1978 and both started its commercial production from the Late eighties. However, the closure of these two mills have affected a large number of people of Assam who directly or indirectly depended for their livelihood on these mills.
In an exclusive interview over telephone with way2barak, Member of Parliament from Silchar Dr. Rajdeep Roy said, “We strongly believe that the scope of making HPC a viable company still exists, if it is run by efficient professional management with proper mordernization, technological up. gradation and financial re-structuring. This can be carried out by either implementation of Public Private Partnership (PPP) Model or Private Takeover initiative.” He said, “We appealed before the Union Minister to kindly look into the matter and resolve the crisis by reviving both the paper mills, which were once the backbone of industrial prosperity in the state.” Dr. Roy said, “There is a ray of hope. The minister assured that he will personally visit the two paper mills and will take stock of the situation.”
Later on addressing the media, Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Arvind Ganapat Sawant said, “Today my newly elected colleagues from Assam has come to me for the revival of two paper mills in Assam. I would be very happy if I am able to revive the mill as desired by my colleagues. I will try hundred percent to revive those two mills and fulfill the dreams of my friends.”
The delegation comprised of Minister of State for Food Processing, Government of India, Rameswar Teli, Minister of State for Urban Development, Health and Family Welfare, Government of Assam, Pijush Hazarika, Jorhat MP Topon Kumar Gogoi, Tezpur MP Pallab Lochan Das, Lakhimpur MP Pradan Baruah, Guwahati MP Queen Oja, Mangaldoi MP Dilip Saikia, Silchar MP Dr. Rajdeep Roy, Karimganj MP Kripanath Malla and Autonomous District MP Horen Sing Bey.
