Assam polls: CM Tarun Gogoi blames Centre for Cachar Paper Mill closure

GUWAHATI: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi blamed the Congress for closure of Cachar Paper Mill in Barak valley, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the production of the unit remained suspended due to shortage of coal.

Closure of paper mill is a sensitive issue in Barak valley which has 14 Assembly seats.

"Prime Minister's escapist attitude has become evident when he put the blame on the Congress for the closure of Cachar Mill, a unit of Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited, which is a central public sector undertaking and the central government is fully responsible for its premature and sudden closure."

Gogoi said that NDA government at the Centre has not done anything substantial for the revival the paper mill, thereby putting the future of one lakh people, who are directly and indirectly involved with the mill, at stake.

According to Congress Cachar Paper Mill, which has a capacity of producing 1,00,000 tonnes of paper annually, requires about 550-600 tonnes of coal daily. The problem started after National Green Tribunal ordered a ban on unscientific mining of coal in Meghalaya on May last year.

Gogoi said, "The Centre should have taken up the matter with NGT or facilitate supply of coal to the mill from other sources instead of depending solely on Meghalaya. Without taking any substantive step, the BJP is indulging in mud-slinging and playing with the sentiments of the people of Assam".