BILT moots closure of Kamalapuram unit

Hundreds of workers face job loss

Eturunagaram (Warangal): Hundreds of workers of Kamalapuram unit of Ballarpur Industries Limited (BILT) were thrown out of jobs following the management’s proposal to shut the unit permanently. It was temporarily closed on April 3 on account of adverse market conditions in rayon grade pulp. The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) was informed in May, 2014.

The management of the BILT, established in 1977, and owned by Avantha Group, a leading business conglomerate, approached the State government seeking permission to permanently close by January 21, 2015. Workers and trade union leaders who have been holding consultations with the government seeking revival of BILT faced a rude shock, learning about the proposal. The management on June 22 asked the Joint Labour Commissioner to allow layoff, but he rejected.

The company produces rayon/paper grade wood pulp. It was the only major industry here providing direct employment to about 2,000 persons and indirect employment to 10,000. There are 705 permanent workers and 670 others engaged by the company. The workers are in despair, as their protests/appeals to the government yielded no results. “For the past two decades workers were dependending on the company, they have no other source of livelihood if it is closed, ” lamented workers’ union leader V Ramchander. He wanted the government to run the factory.

According to another leader Qurban Ali, the unit was shut temporarily during 1985-87 for 18 months and later for six months in 2009 following global economic crisis. “Yet we made sincere efforts to keep the machinery in working condition.”

Speaking to The Hans India, CITU Warangal district secretary M Chukkaiah wanted the government not to permit BILT to permanently close; it should take it over and resume operations.

“It is sad that while the government has been making statements on setting up industrial corridors in the State, the only major industry in Warangal district is set to disappear,” he lamented.

Union leaders Ramchander, Ch Chokka Rao said ITC Paperboards and Specialty Papers division had tried to take over BILT, but the deal could not be finalised. Later ITC approached the government seeking 1,000 acres on lease to set up a paper mill in Warangal.