HPC Paper Mills Revival Action Committee, a conglomeration of many organizations and political parties, barring the BJP, has called for a National Highway blockade of NH-6 & 37 on September 26.
Addressing a press conference at Silchar on Tuesday afternoon, HPC paper mills revival action committee members, which was formed on September 16 following a citizens meet held at HPC’s Panchgram on June 3 last, have pledged to take their agitation forward with a rail blockade next, thereafter by a Barak Bandh, in the days to come, if their demands are not met at the earliest.
Headed by an advisory committee members consisting of Silchar MP Sushmita Dev and Karimganj MP Radheshyam Biswas apart from host of other current and ex MLAs of this region, their demand as on date is to revive both Cachar and Nagaon Paper mills at the earliest as more than 37 premature deaths of employees have occurred as of now in Cachar paper mill alone for non payment of salary for the past 21 months.
“While salary of Cachar paper mill employees has not been disbursed for the past 21 months, the same scenario is for Nagaon who have not received it for the past 18 months,” Manabendra Chakraborty chief convenor of the newly constituted HPC paper mills revival action committee said.
Speaking to Northeast Now, he said, “While the President of India has sanctioned following approval from both the houses of Parliament a sum of Rs 90 crores for paying the salaries of these employees, why is the state government not stepping up to it ? While the CM of Assam invites industrialists and speaks of ‘Advantage Assam’ on one hand, and his superior, PM Modi, speaks of ‘Act East’ policy on the other, is it the way to stop mills and talk of all these things?” Manabendra Chakraborty fumed.
He questioned, if the Prime Minister can give Rs 5000 crores to revive textile mills in Gujrat in January and another Rs 50,000 crores for developing sick industries of UP in June this year, why is the chief minister of Assam not talking directly to PM Modi in this regard when the matter lies at the PMO now to revive these two mills.
“As on date Cachar paper mill which had direct employment of 1800 staffs, now have just 535. A mill that once boasted of producing one lakh metric ton per year with direct and indirect employment to thousands, should now be revived at any cost irrespective of party lines and ideology,” Sanjeev Roy, convenor of the committee said.
For now, all eyes would be upon these National Highways on September 26 next that links all the three districts of Barak valley.
