Dispur on Saturday said the employees of the two defunct mills of Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited would not have to vacate their official quarters till a solution to their problem was found but the employees refused to buy the assurance till it was given in writing.

The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), which had ordered liquidation of Cachar Paper Mill, loacted at Panchgram in Hailakandi district, and Nagaon Paper Mill, located at Jagiroad in Morigaon district, in May, had recently served a notice asking employees to vacate the official quarters by January 31.

The Cachar mill has been lying non-functional since October 2015 and the Nagaon mill since March 2017. The employees have not received their salaries for the past 35 and 33 months respectively.

According to the mills’ unions, at least 60 workers have died (including three suicides) since the mills became non-functional. The mills have about 1,300 employees.

“We are in touch with the employees. They don’t have to worry. They will not have to vacate their quarters till a solution is reached. The two mills are central government properties but we supply power and water. These have not stopped and will not stop,” cabinet minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said.

The minister also said that he would meet the liquidators and members of a consortium keen on reviving the mills.

His reaction came a day after Jagiroad mill workers’ families highlighted their plight when the ruling BJP was holding a peace and development rally in Jagiroad.

A distraught young woman said the government was getting ready to welcome illegal citizens through CAA by was kicking genuine citizens out of their homes.

“Most families have children who will be appearing in exams in February. They are under stress. How can they go house-hunting when they are finding it difficult to survive without salary for several months. A few others said they will not vacate their homes come what may,” she added.

Around two lakh people of the state, including workers and their families, have been affected because of the mills’ closure.

Manabendra Chakraborty, president of the Joint Action Committee of Recognised Unions, Cachar and Nagaon paper mills, told The Telegraph they will not go by any verbal commitment.

“We will continue to resist any move to vacate. They should give us the assurance in writing. We feel a conspiracy has been hatched by the government to hand over the industries to its cronies at scrap price,” he said.

Atanu Sarma, general secretary of the Paper Mill Suraksha Committee, said the assurance was a “drama”. “The state government has no control over the mills. If they are serious they should give the assurance in writing.”