Mill workers’ kin seek pending pay

Silchar: Family members of Cachar Paper Mill workers have decided to stage protests after March 31 to press for pending salaries.
Cachar Paper Mill, the only major industrial undertaking in Assam’s Barak Valley, is located at Panchgram, around 24km from here.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, the workers’ family members said they (workers) have not received their salaries since the past one-and-a-half years and are not able to meet their daily expenses.
Smriti Dhar, wife of a mill worker, said the current situation has forced them to come out on the streets for survival.
She said their protest would reach Delhi so that the issue gets attention and the government comes up with a solution at the earliest.
Jaya Debnath, another worker’s wife, said though they have been suffering since the past 18 months, no step has been taken by the government to resolve the issue.
She said though Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his campaign trail in 2014, had assured that the mill would be revived if the BJP came to power, it has not happened.
Anita Chakraborty, whose husband is a mill worker, said though Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal had announced (at the Namami Barak festival’s inaugural event) that the pending salaries would be paid within two to three months, nothing has happened till date. The family members rued that many of them had to sell their household items and ornaments to meet their expenses.
They lashed out at political leaders of the valley for their silence on the issue and said none of them, except North Karimganj MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha, is bothered about their condition.
They also criticised the government for its negligence in reviving Nagaon Paper Mill.
Supriyo Bhattacharjee, general secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Unions, said they would stage demonstrations in Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts from March 13 to 15 to voice their demands.
Silchar MLA and Assam Assembly Deputy Speaker Dilip Kumar Paul told The Telegraph on Monday that efforts are on so that the pending salaries are paid and the mill is revived. He said Sonowal is very concerned about the mill workers’ condition and is in touch with the Centre so that the issue is resolved. Paul said he would speak to Sonowal soon about the matter and urge him to take steps so that some payment is released at the earliest.
Purkayastha said he had spoken to Sonowal about the issue on February 8 this year. In response, Sonowal told him that some of the funds have been released and the dues would be paid soon, he said.