Jeypore: Authorities of Ballarpur Industries Limited’s Sewa unit at Gaganapur here in Koraput district have reportedly sought 15 days’ time to resume production at the paper mill where production has been halted since April 5.
A closed door meeting, attended by industries minister Debi Prasad Mishra and local MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati and BILT’s CEO Nihar Ranjan Agrawal, was held at Idcol conference hall in Bhubaneswar to resolve the issue. While the minister asked the company to resume production immediately, Agrawal asked for 15 days’ time to resume production, it was learnt.
Apart from minister’s special secretary Sanjeev Chopra and joint secretary of the department, several members of the workers’ union of BILT were present at the meeting. On being asked about the reason behind the closure of the plant, Agrawal said the production cost doubled in the last two years while the price of paper was hiked by only 25 per cent. The company incurred losses to the tune of Rs 53 lakh last fiscal, the CEO said. The company can become eligible for more subsidy according to industrial policy of the government only if it increases investment in the unit and enhances production, the industries minister said.
BILT, a Thapar Group company, is considered one of the largest manufacturers of writing and printing paper in the country.
MLA Bahinipati alleged that a few BILT officials are in cahoots with some suppliers and contractors resulting in increasing production cost. CEO Agrawal assured to look into the allegations.
The workers’ unions, following the meeting, are extremely optimistic about the resumption of work at the mill.
The plant first halted production from March 8 till March 24. It briefly resumed production before again halting work since April 5.
At the request of workers, the local MLA met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the Secretariat and apprised him about the workers’ plight after the plant was closed.
Patnaik directed the industries department to review the situation and accordingly minister Mishra organised the meeting to find a way to resume production in the paper mill. PNN
