House panel visits ailing PSU, workers hope for its revival

Led by chairperson Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, the Parliamentary Standing Committee visited the unit on June 13 and 14, said an official release. The other MPs part of the committee were Deepak Baij, Prataprao Patil Chikhalikar, Kripanath Mallah, Prabhubhai Vasava, Satyadev Pachauri, Arun Kumar Sagar, Alla Ayodhya Rami Reddy, Jaiprakash Nishad, Vijaypal Singh Tomar, along with H K Hajong, Economic Advisor, Department of Pharmaceuticals, and other senior officials of the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

“The Parliamentary Committee visited Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd., factory at Pimpri and gained hands-on experience of the manufacturing facilities available, the products and were briefed about the future plans of the company…The Committee members assured that they would positively look into the difficulties faced by the company and recommend measures for its revival,” the release said.

While the HA administration refused to comment, the managing director was not available.

Vijay Patil, who heads the HA Mazdoor Sangh, said, “The Parliament Standing Committee visited the company premises for two days. They did not meet us but we managed to submit our memorandum to them. We have urged the committee to take steps to revive the ailing unit.

We have pointed out to the committee that HA revival is possible and the company can contribute in providing affordable quality medicines. We have urged the committee to not close down the unit but revive it so that it can play a role in the government’s Aatmanirbhar plan.”

He said the company has just over 400 workers and other staff.

Sunil Pataskar, former general secretary of the HA Mazdoor Sangh, said, “The company was declared sick in 1997. The issue went before the Board of Industrial and Financial Reconstruction. In 2016, the Cabinet Committee took the decision for strategic sale of the company and over Rs 800 crore was approved for paying off liabilities. In 2020, around 225 employees took voluntary retirement. At one point, the company had 4,500 employees. However, now there are only 10 per cent employees. The employees have agitated for years, but nothing concrete has happened…Parliament Standing Committee has visited HA in the past as well. But the revival never happened. We hope at least now something will happen.”