'Liquidation of HPC mills' Revival plan by Sept 14 can avert it: Manabendra Chakraborty

GUWAHATI: The two paper mills - Nagaon Paper Mill and Cachar Paper Mill will be liquidated if the government does not submit a revival plan at the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) within September 14, said president of the Joint Action Committee of Recognised Unions (JACRU) of the two paper mills in Assam, Manabendra Chakraborty on Wednesday.

The mills, Cachar Paper Mill at Panchgram in Hailakandi district and Nagaon Paper Mill at Jagiroad in Morigaon district, have been lying non-functional since October, 2015 and March, 2017 respectively.

Talking to The Sentinel, Chakraborty said the NCLT, at a hearing held over the paper mills' issue on August 26, ordered that the government has to submit a plan for revival of the two mills within September 14, which is the next date of hearing.

He said that both the mills of the Hindustan Paper Corporation Ltd (HPC), will be liquidated and sold, if the government fails to submit a revival plan within the next 13 days. "Over two lakh people of the State are dependent on the industries for their livelihood. Their future will be in jeopardy if the government does not come up with an initiative to save the mills," he underlined.

Chakraborty, who has led many protests and movements over the mills' issue in the past few years, said that former Union Minister Arvind Sawant had told the Parliament on July 9, 2019 that the Centre invested Rs 4,141 crore on the HPCL from 2014-18, but surprisingly the condition of mills' remained unchanged.

He claimed the funds were siphoned off and questioned, "Why were the mills not revived despite such massive investment? Where did the money go?"

Taking a jibe at the government for not treating the mills' issue properly, he said the government cannot avoid its responsibilities. Chakraborty said Silchar MP Rajdeep Roy often said corruption took place because of which the mills became non-functional, but he never raised the issue of the "mysterious disappearance" of Rs 4,141 crore in the Parliament.

Further, Chakraborty challenged Silchar MP Rajdeep Roy to take up the matter with the government so that those involved in the so-called corruption are caught and punished.

He appealed to all the ruling party leaders of Assam, especially Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, to take up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi so that a plan for revival of the mills is submitted within September 14 and the employees along with their families are saved.

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