NEW DELHI, Jan 11 � Fighting for survival, the Nagaon Paper Mill (NPM) belonging to Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited (HPC), faces yet another crisis following non-renewal of tripartite agreement by Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) to supply bamboo.
A new agreement was signed with a private firm, leaving the State�s two paper mills high and dry.�HPC�s Cachar Paper Mills is also reeling under crisis following disruption in supply of bamboo by Mizoram Govern-ment.�Officials of the two paper mills have rushed to Delhi seeking urgent intervention of Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Paban Singh Ghatowar.
Signing the agreement of with a private party, Hill Trade Agency owned by R. S. Gandhi, to supply of bamboo from KAAC instead of renewing the existing tripartite agreement with Government of Assam to supply bamboo to HPC Limited has posed a grave crisis, said vice-president of Officers� and Supervisors� Associations of Nagaon and Cachar Paper Mill of Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited, Atul Mahanta.
Representatives of the two Associations have urged the DoNER Minister to intervene. The Associations further requested the Ghatowar to take up the issue of restoration of bamboo supply with Chief Minister of Mizoram.�Nagaon Paper Mill (NPM) at Jagiroad, of HPC Ltd has been operating on bamboo supplied from Karbi Along. The 30-year-old tripartite agreement between the Management of Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited, Government of Assam and Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council for allotment of lease bamboo to HPC Ltd is scheduled to expire by October this year.�Officials said instead of renewal of the agreement, the KAAC recently signed an agreement with a private party, which they alleged was in violation of the earlier supplementary agreement of October 13, 1980. �The officials claimed that HPC has always been supportive towards KAAC and has responded positively towards the council�s requirements whether, it be the increases in royalty rates or carrying out developmental activities in the council areas.
