Assam government seeks month's time for the revival of HPCL paper mills

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Secretary, Industries & Commerce Department, Government of Assam, has sought a month's time for revival of the closed paper mills under HPCL (Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited) at Nagaon and Cachar. The Secretary in a letter (dated September 10, 2020) also requested the Liquidator of HPCL, Kuldeep Verma, to take up the matter with the NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal).

The State government is making sincere efforts and pursuing the matter with the Central government — including the Ministry of Heavy Industries — for revival of the closed mills and clearances of all dues of employees and workers, the letter stated, adding that the Chief Minister has been personally pursuing the matter at the highest level in the Central government.

The last hearing on the issue was held on August 26, 2020. The next hearing on the subject is slated on September 14, 2020.

The employees' unions of both the paper mills have been requesting the State government to submit a revival plan of the paper mills to the NCLT within September 14.

Mentionably, the employees of the paper mills have not received salaries for the last 45 months. A total of 71 employees have also died during this period.

While the Cachar Paper Mill at Panchgram has been closed since October 2015, the Nagaon Paper Mill at Jagiroad has been closed since March 2017.

Meanwhile, the Jagiroad unit of AASU staged a 10-hour long hunger strike on Saturday demanding immediate revival of the Nagaon and Cachar paper mills.