Assam govt seeks a month for the revival of HPCL mills

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GUWAHATI | SEPT 12, 2020:

Ahead of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) crucial hearing on Monday to decide the fate of two paper mills of Hindustan Paper Corporation (HPCL) in Assam, the state government has written a letter to the HPCL liquidator seeking a month to resolve the issues, including pending dues to mill workers.

The mills have been non-operational for over three and a half years now.

The Commissioner and Secretary of the Assam Industries and Commerce Department stated in the letter to the HPCL liquidator that the state government has sought a grant of one month from NCLT as it was pursuing the matter with the central government for revival of the closed mills and clearances of all dues of employees and workers.

Speaking to TNT-The Northeast Today, Cachar Paper Mills Workers Union president Manobendra Chakraborty on Saturday said that the liquidator has in the meantime submitted the letter to the NCLT.

"Now it is upon the NCLT to accept or reject the request of the Assam government because the government has not responded in the past four years. Now, it has submitted a letter seeking time to resolve issues, at a time when elections are near the corner," Chakraborty said.

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"On behalf of the Joint Action Committee of Recognised Unions, Nagaon and Cachar paper mills, as the president of the Cachar Paper Mills Workers Union president, we will contest the case on Monday," he said.

Meanwhile, the Jagiroad unit of the All Assam Students Union has staged a 10-hour hunger strike from 7 am in front of the Nagaon Paper Mill on Saturday, demanding revival of the mills. Two unions of Nagaon Paper Mill are also associated with the strike.

Several thousands of employees and workers of the two mills have not received salaries and other dues for close to four years now.