Twenty employees of the two paper mills in Assam, who are suffering from various critical diseases but cannot afford medical treatment, will receive financial assistance from popular stand-up comedian Abhineet Mishra by Saturday.

Cachar Paper Mill at Panchgram in Hailakandi district and Nagaon Paper Mill at Jagiroad in Morigaon district have been lying non-functional since October 2015 and March 2017 respectively. Their employees have not received salaries for over three years.

According to the mills’ unions, over 60 employees have died after the mills became non-functional, mostly because of poverty, trauma and lack of medical treatment.

Sources said the Joint Action Committee of Recognised Unions (Jacru) had communicated with Mishra in March and apprised him of the deplorable condition of the mills’ employees because of non-payment of salaries.

Mishra, who had raised the mills’ issue on social media in the past, decided to financially help 20 employees. Accordingly, the union intimated those who are in dire need of treatment to submit applications with documents like doctor’s prescription, bank account details and other supporting documents through WhatsApp to Manabendra Chakraborty, president, Jacru, on mobile number 8721980016 for Cachar Paper Mill and to Ananda Bordoloi, general secretary, Jacru, on mobile number 9101242882 for Nagaon Paper Mill by April 25.

All the applications were scrutinised thoroughly and a list of 20 employees, 10 from each of the two mills, was prepared.

It was sent to Mishra on Tuesday.

The 10 employees of Cachar Paper Mill are Bibhojoy Barman, Abdul Hannan, Arun Chakraborty, Mujibur Rahman, Amal Chakraborty, Abdul Sattar, Debabrata Nath, Ibungo Pishak Singha, Nirmal Acharjee and Debashish Barua. The 10 employees of Nagaon Paper Mill are L.V. Ratna Prasad, Jugal Moni Saikia, Arup Buragohain, Imran Ali Thakuria, Pulin Singha, Sukram Dewri, Pranab Bora, Ghana Kanta Deogharia, Mantu Ram Bora and Uma Kanta Das.

The amount, which has not been disclosed, will be credited directly in the 20 employees’ bank accounts by May 2, the sources said.

The Jacru president told The Telegraph on Wednesday that they had received numerous applications and it was very tough to select the 20 employees.

Lauding Mishra, Chakraborty said, “Mishra deserves appreciation for the help. The condition of the mills’ employees may improve a little more if more people like him come forward to help,” he said.

Launching a scathing attack on the government, he said though over 60 employees passed away and many more are suffering from serious diseases, the government has shown absolutely no interest in helping them.

Dipak Chandra Nath, the general secretary of Cachar Paper Mill Officers and Supervisors’ Association, also lauded Mishra’s initiative. He, however, reiterated that all their dues must be remitted at the earliest and sought the government’s intervention in the matter.