Assam: CITU protest in Dibrugarh over paper mills auction

DIBRUGARH:

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) activists, on Saturday, staged a demonstration in Dibrugarh in protest against the Centre's decision to auction the two defunct paper mills under the Hindustan Paper Corporation (HPC) in the state. 

The workers of the papers mills demanded the revival of the paper mills.

The agitators also sought the intervention of the Prime Minister urging him to withdraw the notice issued by the official liquidator to auction the Nagaon Paper Mill and Cachar Paper Mill. 

The liquidator notified them that an e-auction will be held on June 30. 

While the reserve price has been set at Rs 1,139 crore, the Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) amount has been set at Rs 55 crore and the minimum incremental bid is Rs 1 crore.

In May 2019, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in New Delhi had ordered the liquidation of the two paper mills.

"We want to remind the BJP about the promise made by union home minister Amit Shah during his election campaigns at Sarbhog in Barpeta on April 4. Shah had promised that the BJP-led government will not only revive the two paper mills but augment paper production in the state," a CITU leader said.

"Now they have made a U-turn on their promise by announcing the auction of the two paper mills. Instead of auctioning should take steps to revive the paper mills. A suitable revival package should be prepared to protect the two paper mills and the employees," the leader added.

The Nagaon Paper Mill in Morigaon district has been closed since March 13, 2017, while the Cachar Paper Mill in Hailakandi district has been closed since October 20, 2015. Both the mills were shut without any notice.

Over 2,500 employees of both the mills have not received salaries for over four years.

Recently, the Joint Action Committee of Recognised Unions (JACRU) had alleged that 88 poverty-stricken employees of the two mills have died while not being able to afford medical treatment while four of them by suicide.

"The government should take the necessary step to revive the two defunct paper mills. Many workers who are associated with the paper mills are in bad condition and looking for a hope that the state government will revive the paper mills," said a protester.

(Edited by Aparmita Das)

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