The Assam government will ‘resolve’ pending salaries issue of the employees and workers of the Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited (HPCL).

This was stated by Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma after holding a meeting with the employees and workers of HPCL.

The meeting, held at the office of Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati, lasted for over four hours and concluded in the wee hours of Wednesday.

CM Sarma said: “Finally reached agreement with the workers and employees of Hindustan Paper Corporation to resolve long pending issues of their salaries and dues.”

“Discussion lasted over 4 hours in my office and concluded at 2AM,” he added.

Also read: Assam: Top Maoist leader Tingraj Orang surrenders

The two HPCL paper mills – Cachar Paper Mill and Panchgram in Hailakandi district and Nagaon Paper Mill at Jagiroad in Morigaon district – have been non-functional since October 2015 and March 2017 respectively. 

The BJP government in Assam had promised to revive the paper mills after Sarbananda Sonowal assumed charge as Chief Minister in 2016 and while campaigning for the assembly polls held this year. 

The employees of the two paper mills are yet to receive salaries for at least 55 months.

As many as 93 employees of the two defunct paper mills have died in the last 58 months.