Arun Lata Sharma
Sitamarhi : The Riga Sugar Company Ltd. in Sitamarhi district in North Bihar will follow ‘No work No pay’ Rule for coming two months for its 400-500 employees including daily wage, contractual, and seasonal workers. A notice in this connection was suddenly pasted on May 10, 2020, night, on the main gate of the company.
On May 11, 2020, when the employees and workers reached the mill gate and saw the notice, they got angry. They have not been paid for April month also. Only employees of emergency departments like electricity, water supply, are allowed to work. Workers’ Union General Secretary Manoj Kumar said that the management is inhuman during Covid-19 pandemic.
Prof. Anand Kishore, a senior office bearer of Sanyukta Kisan Sangharsh Morcha, said that we are going to write to the chief minister and other higher officials in this connection. He added that the payment of Rs 112 crore to more than 50,000 cane growing farmers was still pending with the mill management as arrears and mow the company has resorted to this draconian measure.
Sugar company senior officials were not available for their comments on the matter but sources said that the mill had been running in loss for the last five years. Financial help has been sought from the government but in vain so far.