Dhubri, Oct. 12: The Jogighopa unit of Ashok Paper Mill is likely to reopen in April 2012 after nearly three decades.

Many organisations, including AASU and AKRSU, have been demanding the reopening of the unit, which had stopped operation in 1983.

AASU, AKRSU and various other organisations had also taken out a procession August 26 in support of their demand.

The demand for reopening of the paper mill was included in the 1985 Assam Accord.

In September this year, a public hearing was held at Jogighopa by Assam Pollution Control Board where people and organisations, including the Bongaigaon district unit of AASU, expressed their willingness to reopen the paper mill and gave “no objection” to the board.

A senior official in Bongaigaon district administration said the Central Pollution Control Board needed this “no objection” to open or reopen any industrial unit.

“Since the board a received positive response from the people, it could be said all things will move in the right direction. Moreover, the present government in Dispur is also taking a keen interest to reopen the unit at the earliest,” he added.

AASU’s Bongaigaon district unit president Dipak Kumar Roy said they were now hopeful about the opening of the unit as the residents of Jogighopa, in the public hearing conducted by the Pollution Control Board, had expressed their no objection.

“The Congress governments at the Centre and state are implementing various schemes in the name of Rajiv Gandhi. So, in order to honour the memory of Rajiv Gandhi, who was one of the signatories of the Assam Accord, it should be reopened soon,” Roy added.

He said industrial department officials have said it would take three months to get the “no-objection certificate” from the Central Pollution Control Board.

After that they will move the Union ministry of commerce and industry for necessary funds to reopen the mill.

The unit, which started production on July 1, 1976, ground to a halt in March 1983 because of loss, funds bungling, mismanagement and growing corruption among the high officials of the mill.