After the JK Paper at Rayagada, the Emami Paper Mills in Baleswar has shut its production due to the 21-day lockdown enforced to combat the coronavirus.
The Emami Paper, a leading manufacturer of newsprint, writing and printing paper and multilayer coated board, has halted its operation on the ground of shortage of raw materials at its plant.
Under such circumstances, the company has asked its employees and workers to stay at home as part of precautionary measures to prevent spread of coronavirus.
On the other hand, hundreds of trucks loaded with raw materials for paper production have been stationed by a roadside adjacent to the Emami plant. The drivers of trucks have reportedly fled the place out of coronavirus scare leaving the vehicles.
The company has sent all 3,000 regular and contractual employees on leave. Only 100 employees have been kept in the plant premises for uninterrupted water supply service, electricity, sanitisation and maintenance.
The company with a capacity of around 2 lakh MT used to produce 800 MT papers (newsprint) and packaging board per day. With the plant’s closure, print media would have scarcity of paper to print newspapers during the lockdown period.
Emami Paper Mills PRO MK Padhi said that due to the restrictions on transport facility and cancellation of many orders, the company has closed the mill.
“However, we have requested to the district administration to allow the vehicles carrying raw materials stranded at different places to the factory,” he said.
Earlier, JK Paper Ltd has shut its operation from March 29 due to the lockdown.