Assam: Employees’ union of paper mills to go on warpath

25 July 2018:

A united body of the employees’ unions of Cachar Paper Mill (CPM) and Nagaon Paper Mill (NPM) is gearing up to launch a series of protests in New Delhi and Guwahati if the Centre fails to take a final decision on the revival of the mills by July 31. The employees’ body has decided to go on the warpath as the operations at the two mills have remained suspended for some time now.

Speaking to InsideNe, CPM Workers’ Union, Manabendra Chakraborty, said they resolved to stage the protests as the Centre had not revived the mills yet.

“In the past year, we held a series of meetings with Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and some of his Cabinet colleagues, besides senior officials of the Central government. However, till date, we have not received any positive response from the government,” lamented Chakraborty.

He said the non-functioning of the mills and non-payment of salaries affected two lakh people but the government took no step to mitigate their sufferings. Thirty six workers died since the operations at the two mills were suspended, he said.

Chakraborty said: “We have also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 13 asking for a decision but have not yet received any response. Modi had promised during a campaign in 2014 in Barak Valley that the mills would be revived if the BJP grabs power. The BJP is in power now but has not taken any measures to revive the mills”.