Cachar: The ongoing tragedy at the Hindustan Paper Corporation (HPC) Paper Mills of Assam has claimed yet another life, bringing the death toll to 131.
On January 31, Phani Bhusan Barman, a 58-year-old worker from Dhalai, Lakhipur Constituency, passed away after a long battle with illness.
His untimely death is the latest in a series of tragic losses that have shaken the workers and employees at the state-owned paper mill.
This marks the fifth sudden and premature death at the mill since September 2024, following the deaths of several other workers during the last few months.
The HPC Paper Mills, once a government-owned corporation under the Government of India, is now under the control of the Assam government.
However, workers at the mill have been enduring extreme hardships, as they have not been paid their salaries or provident funds for over 95 months, despite these funds being deducted from their wages.
Even after a ruling by the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) in New Delhi ordering the release of provident fund amounts, workers are still unable to access their own money for critical needs like medical treatment.
Despite the Assam government’s declaration of humanitarian aid to support workers, the situation remains dire.
The delay in resolving the crisis has had irreversible consequences, with workers now facing a deadly toll.
The deaths, including four suicides, are being attributed to the inhumane conditions and lack of support, which have left workers in unbearable stress and despair.
Phani Bhusan Barman leaves behind his wife and four children, who are now without a source of income.
The situation at the HPC Paper Mills has become increasingly critical, with workers describing the mill as a “Valley of Death,” a place where the failure of the Government of India to address the issue has resulted in irreparable harm.
ALSO READ: Assam: Dibrugarh University Literature Festival 2025 kicks off with global literary giants
Workers and their families are now calling for justice, holding the government accountable for what they describe as inhumane and hostile treatment.
The community is calling on citizens—both in India and abroad—to raise their voices in support of the workers, urging for a resolution that will provide the long-awaited wages, resolve the provident fund issue, and ensure that future generations do not suffer the same fate.
The workers of the HPC Paper Mills are calling on the public to demand justice and a humane resolution to the crisis that has claimed so many lives.
