Corrugated box-manufacturing units go on strike

Bhanu P Lohumi

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Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 21

Upset over alleged “unethical and collusive” action of paper mills to collectively close the mills on pre-decided date to create shortage and simultaneously announcing increase in prices and failure of the union government to initiate any action against the paper mills, the corrugated box manufacturing units in Himachal today went on two-day symbolic strike.

“The corrugated box manufacturers are struggling for survival due to non-cooperative attitude of paper mills and have decided to shut the 350-odd units located in Parwanoo, Baddi, Kala Amb, Nalagarh, Solan, Paonta Sahib, Una and Kullu for two days”, said Gagan Kapoor, president of Himachal Pradesh Corrugated Box Manufacturers Association (HPCBMA), adding that the prices of paper had been increased thrice during the current year.

“The corrugated industry in the state will shut their units and would neither dispatch any material nor receive any deliveries from paper mills to protest against their alleged coercive tactics”, said Kapoor adding, “Hundreds of workers employed in these units would be affected by the strike, besides the customers. Therefore, we have not decided to go on indefinite strike for the time being”.

The HPCBMA president said that the Union Government had given special industrial package to Himachal in 2003 which gave boost to corrugated industry. They are using around 50,000 tons of paper every year but frequent increase in prices has put the industry in a difficult situation.

He said after the Centre withdrew the package, some pharma units, which are bulk buyers of corrugated boxes, have moved out of the state affecting the corrugated box manufacturers but the Union government was silent and unconcerned about the plight of the manufacturers.

Gagan Kapoor alleged that whenever the mills want to increase the rates of paper, they cut down the production and create artificial shortage of paper. While the corrugated box manufacturers are going through difficult times the biggest paper mill of Himachal has issued a circular increasing the rates by 50 paisa yesterday, he rued.