Dunlop hints at phase-wise reopening of Sahagunj

Beleaguered tyre-maker Dunlop India Ltd management has indicated that it is ready to start operations at Sahagunj unit in a phased manner, if there is a clarity in the stand by the Unions.

In a statement issued on Friday, the management said that it is ready to have a discussion with the Unions before or after Puja to discuss the modalities for an early resumption of the deadlock leading to the start of operations at Sahagunj.

Alleging the unions, the company said that the union is not coming forward to settle the issues either to join the company to let the company function or take their dues and resign so that the company can start with fresh outlook.However, though the plant is closed with no cash flow, the company has given the outstanding wages to its workers for the month of September. The company expressed hope to resolve the issue in next meeting. Sahagunj unit has 858 workers. Early this year, the Calcutta High Court had appointed a liquidator.

The state government too had intervened into the issue asking the firm to clear the dues of the workers in the first step of reopening the plant. Dunlop had also written a letter to west Bengal Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee and Labour Minister Purnendu Chatterjee seeking “relief undertaking status”, which the tyre-maker said it would help to revive the company.Until 2010, Dunlop used to enjoy protection from its unsecured creditors under a state Act—West Bengal Relief Undertakings (Special Provisions) Act. But the relief undertaking status was eventually withdrawn by the erstwhile Left Front later and the new government also did not renew it.