Rotomac factory shut: ‘Never thought factory would be closed suddenly
DINESH MISHRA (37) has been out of work for two months. He was a molding machine operator at Rotomac Global Private Limited in Kanpur, which used to make pens, until the manufacturing unit closed down on December 8. Mishra was one of the 450 employees, including 250 women, at the unit. They were suddenly informed on December 8 that their services had been terminated due to heavy bank liabilities, he said.
“Several workers are now doing small jobs… Like me, many are still unemployed,” added Mishra, who had started working at the factory 16 years ago. “Around 1,000 employees used to work in the factory. But in the last two years, the company removed half of them. The directors used to say there was a financial crisis and they would recover soon. We never thought the company would be closed. It is yet to pay three months’ salary to employees. We have sent a notice to the directors, but haven’t got a reply,” he said.
Mishra, who lives in a rented place with his two school-going children and wife, added: “I have visited five companies for jobs but to no avail. I cannot pay school fees. My children’s names will be struck off the rolls soon.” The manufacturing unit, launched in 1994, is spread across 27 acres in the Industrial Area of Panki in Kanpur — about 20 km from the palatial bungalow of Rotomac promoter Vikram Kothari in the city.
The CBI has booked Kothari and his family members for allegedly defaulting on loans worth Rs 3,695 crore from multiple banks. Standing at the factory gate, private security agency officer Prashant Singh confirmed that it was closed on December 8. The employees protested outside the unit for a few days, then they left, he added. Delhi-based AAA Insolvency Professionals Limited Liability Partnership, on the direction of the Allahabad bench of the National Company Law Tribunal, took charge of the factory on December 8 evening, he said.
Santoshi Singh (39), who used to work in the packing section, said, “We protested outside the factory for a week. We met the district magistrate, sent representations to the chief minister, Prime Minister and President, but got no help from anywhere.” She worked in the factory for 11 years. “We were aware the company was going through a financial crisis but never thought it would be closed suddenly. I am still unemployed,” she said.
Savita Bajpai (47), one of the oldest employees, said, “We hope the unit will reopen soon. I have decided not to take up any other job… I had joined the factory in 1994 as a helper and was promoted as a supervisor a few years ago.”
Shyam Singh Tomar, who was working as an operator in the factory, now works as an insurance agent. “I had joined factory in 2013… After the unit was closed, I thought it would be reopened soon. When I lost hope, my friends arranged a job for me,” he said.
No senior official of Rotomac Global Private Limited would comment on the matter.
“Several workers are now doing small jobs… Like me, many are still unemployed,” added Mishra, who had started working at the factory 16 years ago. “Around 1,000 employees used to work in the factory. But in the last two years, the company removed half of them. The directors used to say there was a financial crisis and they would recover soon. We never thought the company would be closed. It is yet to pay three months’ salary to employees. We have sent a notice to the directors, but haven’t got a reply,” he said.
Mishra, who lives in a rented place with his two school-going children and wife, added: “I have visited five companies for jobs but to no avail. I cannot pay school fees. My children’s names will be struck off the rolls soon.” The manufacturing unit, launched in 1994, is spread across 27 acres in the Industrial Area of Panki in Kanpur — about 20 km from the palatial bungalow of Rotomac promoter Vikram Kothari in the city.
The CBI has booked Kothari and his family members for allegedly defaulting on loans worth Rs 3,695 crore from multiple banks. Standing at the factory gate, private security agency officer Prashant Singh confirmed that it was closed on December 8. The employees protested outside the unit for a few days, then they left, he added. Delhi-based AAA Insolvency Professionals Limited Liability Partnership, on the direction of the Allahabad bench of the National Company Law Tribunal, took charge of the factory on December 8 evening, he said.
Santoshi Singh (39), who used to work in the packing section, said, “We protested outside the factory for a week. We met the district magistrate, sent representations to the chief minister, Prime Minister and President, but got no help from anywhere.” She worked in the factory for 11 years. “We were aware the company was going through a financial crisis but never thought it would be closed suddenly. I am still unemployed,” she said.
Savita Bajpai (47), one of the oldest employees, said, “We hope the unit will reopen soon. I have decided not to take up any other job… I had joined the factory in 1994 as a helper and was promoted as a supervisor a few years ago.”
Shyam Singh Tomar, who was working as an operator in the factory, now works as an insurance agent. “I had joined factory in 2013… After the unit was closed, I thought it would be reopened soon. When I lost hope, my friends arranged a job for me,” he said.
No senior official of Rotomac Global Private Limited would comment on the matter.