DIBRUGARH, Nov 6 - Following approval for the setting up of the proposed Namrup IV plant of the Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited (BVFCL), the Namrup Fertilizer Shramik Union, Fertilizer Workers� Union and Joint Council of Officers of the fertilizer industry today jointly expressed gratitude to the competent authority for giving-in to the long-pending demands of the industry unions, civil organisations and the general public.
The union leaders who addressed newsmen here said that the existing plants of the BVFCL had outlived their life and the survival of the industry was at stake. The first plant had started production in 1969, the second plant had started production in 1975 and the third plant of the BVFCL had started its production in 1987. �Despair and uncertainty had gripped the employees of the industry and the people of the region in the past 12 years as there were no signs of revival of the only fertilizer industry of the northeast region,� said Tileswar Borah, general secretary, Namrup Fertilizer Shramik Union.
Suren Gogoi from Joint Council of Officers, BVFCL and B Thakuria, president, Fertilizer Workers� Union, BVFCL also addressed the media at Swahid Bhawan in Chowkidinghee. The three unions have placed an appeal before the Centre and its Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs to expedite the process for laying the foundation of the Namrup IV plant at least before the ensuing Lok Sabha polls. The union leaders further said that they had recently discussed the matter with Assam Finance Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma and had requested him to facilitate the process for setting up of the IV plant.
It needs to be mentioned here that as per the approval letter from the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, the Centre has proposed equity partnership of 52 per cent to Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizer (RCF), 26 per cent to OIL, 11 per cent to Government of Assam and 11 per cent to BVFCL.