Congress responsible for present state of paper mills: Minister Pijush Hazarika

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: State Water Resources Minister Pijush Hazarika has reacted sharply to Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC)'s scathing criticism of the eviction order issued by the liquidator of Hindustan Paper Corporation Ltd (HPCL).

While talking to media persons, Hazarika blamed Congress MP and former Power, Industries and Commerce Minister, Pradyut Bordoloi for the current sorry state of affairs of both the Nagaon and Cachar Paper Mills. "The eviction order has not been given by the government, it has been issued by the liquidator of HPCL. The Assam Government has a package of Rs 650 crore ready for the 1,000 employees of the two paper mills. We are ready to release the package within a week. Almost 95 per cent of the employees of the paper mills have welcomed the decision of the government to release the package. Only 5 per cent of the employees are opposing this move of the government. These employees are doing so under the influence of the Congress. The Congress is only trying to complicate matters," said Hazarika.

He further said that former minister Pradyut Bordoloi had brought the two paper mills to this condition. "When Pradyut Bordoloi was minister, he bought coal and bamboo at a high rate. When coal was being sold at Rs 6,000 per tonne, the then government was buying it at Rs 12,000 per tonne. Bamboo was also bought at a high rate when local suppliers were giving bamboo at a much lower rate. The current state of two paper mills is because of Bordoloi," said Hazarika.

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