Naihati jute mill workers left out in the cold as mill downs shutters

The Centre’s hasty decision to demonetise Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes has left around 2,200 employees of a jute mill in Naihati jobless ahead of Christmas day with the closure of the mill for an indefinite period on Tuesday.

Sources said that the mill authorities told its employees that it would not be possible to reopen the mill until and unless the situation improves. The authorities had failed to clear the electricity bills due to cash crunch and it has come up as a root cause behind closing the mill.

Around 2,200 people work in Nadia Jute Mill at Naihati in North 24-Parganas. On Tuesday morning the workers went to join their work and found a “suspension of work” notice on the gate of the mill.

It may be mentioned that there was tension between the mill authorities and employees as the former had failed to give payment on time due to cash crunch. The mill authorities were also facing trouble after failing to give payment to its employees. The power supply to the factory was cut off early Tuesday morning as mill authorities had even failed to clear the pending electricity bill due to demonetisation.

Demonetisation has left a deep impact on the country’s economy. Starting from farmers to local shopkeepers, everyone was facing trouble due to demonetisation. The closure of the jute mill, on which the economy of the entire area depends, the situation will decline further. The employees will approach the state government seeking its intervention to reopen the jute mill as early as possible.

It may be mentioned that the Bengal government had taken initiative when authorities of most of the jute mills were facing a tough situation after failing to give payments to its employees. The state Labour minister held a tripartite meeting with representatives of employees and mill authorities. A decision was taken that the payment of the workers will be sent to their bank accounts by the mill authorities instead of giving them it in cash.

Most of the mill authorities had followed the method that was of great help to the employees of the jute mills. Despite of that, it was found in an assessment, that around 30 per cent of the jute mill workers didn’t have any bank account. It led to trouble.