Journalism of Courage
Manoj More
Just when Hindustan Antibiotics, Pimpri, a pharma PSU, was preparing to see better days, the BJP-led Narendra Modi government has halted its plan to sell vacant land in its possession to raise working capital and pay off some of its dues.
In a letter received by Hindustan Antibiotics, Pimpri, recently, the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers said the firm should not sell the land as the government will make budgetary provisions for its rehabilitation. However, HA officials said there was no mention of when the budgetary package would be announced.
The Centre’s decision has come as a big blow to as many as 1,057 employees of the firm, which has been struggling for months now to pay their salaries. For the past two-three years, HA has been trying to sell at least 6 acre of vacant land in Pimpri. The company had invited tenders as it was not getting the right price for the land. However, MHADA had declared its intention to buy the land at
Rs 17 crore per acre and the deal was about to be finalised when the Lok Sabha elections were announced. “During the UPA regime, we were allowed to sell the land. However, with the Modi government at the helm, the sale has been stopped,” said HA officials.
Sunil Pataskar, General Secretary, HA Mazdoor Sangh, said, “The amount would have given HA a new lease of life. We badly needed Rs 60 crore as working capital for the next three months. After that the proceeds from the sale of drugs in these three months would have helped accumulate working capital for another few months,” he said. Besides, Pataskar said the rest of the amount could have helped HA pay some of its dues. “PF, sales tax, electricity and income tax dues are increasing by the day. We could have paid off some of it,” he said.
HA personnnel manager T Das confirmed that the Centre has stopped the sale of land. “We were about to finalise the deal just when the government directive asking to stop the deal landed. Everything has come to a standstill,” he said.
HA officials said in the past few months whenever the company has received any amount to upgrade its projects, the same has been used to pay salaries to employees. They said according to the revival plan — monitored by BIFR — the company was to get Rs 502 crore.
“However, we have not received a single paisa till date,” added officials.
Pataskar said recently a delegation led by Maval MP Shrirang Barne had met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely. “The minister promised the government will take appropriate action to revive the company,” he said.
Officials said they are also hoping that Union Minister of State for Environment and Forest Prakash Javadekar, who is from Pune, will take an initiative to revive the company. “Since Javadekar is close to the Prime Minister, we hope he will take up the issue with him in all seriousness,” said Pataskar.
Employees of HA have already decided not to vote in the upcoming elections as a mark of protest against apathy of successive governments in reviving the company.
