No salary for 2 years, HPC employee attempts suicide

SILCHAR: An employee of the Nagaon Paper Mill, an unit of the state-owned Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited, identified as Kathsingh Bordoloi, on Monday attempted to commit suicide by jumping off a mobile tower at Jagiroad in Morigaon district.
Sources said the employee has not been getting his salary for the last two years, a fate being suffered by all other employees of both Nagaon and Cachar Paper Mill, both units of HPC, where production has been suspended for more than two years because of bankruptcy.

The employee was suffering from depression after operations at the paper mill was shut down, said a functionary of HPC Paper Mills Revival Action Committee in Silchar.

Police officials said when the employee climbed the tower and attempted to jump, the employee’s family members, his colleagues and other locals pleaded with him to get down. A huge crowd gathered at the spot. Police also rushed to the place. After two hours of persuasion, Kathsingh Bordoloi came down.

Action committee members said 49 employees of the two mills have suffered premature deaths so far because of their inability to avail medical facilities due to non-payment of their salaries.

Action committee chief convenor Manobendra Chokrobortee said the tragedy is the result of gross negligence and the ‘anti-people attitude’ of the government. “Paper mill employees have been passing their days in a starvation-like situation. They are not able to avail medical facilities too,” he said.

Meanwhile employees and family members of the two mills on Monday brought out candle light rallies at Panchgram and Jagiroad to pay homage to the 49 employees who have allegedly died without treatment. “We call attention of the Prime Minister, who will be visiting Bogibeel on Tuesday, about the condition of the two paper mills,” said Chakrobortee.