HAILAKANDI, Jan 12 - The Cachar Paper Project Workers� and Employees� Union (independent) has expressed serious concern over the present condition of the Cachar Paper Mill of Hindustan Paper Corporation at Panchgram in Hailakandi district.
In a press release, the general secretary of the union, Azizur Rahman Mazumdar, alleged that despite repeated reminders and appeals, the Centre has not paid any heed to the paper mill, and that about 1,500 regular and casual employees and workers of the mill have not received their salaries since the last 16 months. It may be mentioned here that production activities of the mill were suspended by the authorities on October 20, 2015.
In his statement, Mazumdar alleged that due to non-payment of interest on loans, banks have sent notices to some employees, triggering panic among them. The employees have been forced to withdraw their children from private educational institutions due to their financial difficulties, he alleged.
The Income Tax department has also sent notices to employees for not filing their tax returns for 2014-15 as the mill authorities did not submit the amounts despite deducting these from the salaries of the employees, he maintained.
Mazumdar rued that though both the Central and State governments stated that the mill would be revived, no action has been taken so far. Employees have been passing their days in great uncertainty as there is no economic security, he added. He urged all sections of people to unite for the revival of the mill in the greater interest of the Barak Valley.
It may be mentioned here that various trade unions have decided to gherao the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Cachar on March 20 for the revival of the mill. They will gherao the office for six hours from 10 am. Later, they will also observe a Barak Valley bandh, the date for which has not been finalised yet.
