AT Photo
Hailakandi, Sept 5: The members of INTUC affiliated Cachar Paper Project Workers' Union today staged demonstration in protest against the order of vacating the quarters of the defunct mills in Panchgram of Hailakandi district in South Assam.
The president of the union, Manabendra Chakraborty strongly reacted over the notice served by the Liquidator of Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited, Kuldeep Verma for vacating the quarters. Chakraborty said that this is totally illegal and in violation of the order of Appellate Tribunal NCLAT and High Court and termed it "misinterpreting the law". He said that the employees are facing extreme difficulties due to the non payment of salary from the last 56 months. Altogether 93 employees have died and three of them committed suicide without treatment treatment due to financial crisis and "illegal eviction" notice by liquidator Kuldeep Verma may worsen the situation, he said. He cautioned that the Liquidator will be held responsible if any unrest occurs due to the eviction notice in the mills.
Asia's biggest paper mills -- Cachar Paper Mill at Panchgram in Hailakandi district and Nagaon Paper Mill at Jagiroad in Morigaon district -- both units of Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited -- have been in non-functional condition since October, 2015 and March, 2017 respectively. Their employees have not got their salaries for the past many months respectively. The government has finally decided to sell both the mills. 93 employees have already died without treatment for the financial crisis. 3 of them committed suicide.
