Shailendra Nath Mishra, 55, was not as fortunate as Vinod Poddar to have time by his side to fight for his salary dues amounting to around Rs 10 lakh from Bihar State Sugar Corporation (BSSC).

An employee of a sugar mill at Guraru and a resident of Kendui on Gaya-Bodhgaya riverside road, around 6km from Gaya town and 106km from Patna, Mishra was suffering from cancer and died after failing to bear the treatment cost. His wife, Meena Devi, 51, is also suffering from uterus cancer and is undergoing treatment at Mahavir Cancer Sansthan, Patna.

“Around two months ago, doctors diagnosed that my father was suffering from cancer while he was undergoing treatment for surgical jaundice at City Hospital, Patna. He was referred to GB Pant Hospital, New Delhi. He also underwent treatment at Delhi Raj Cancer Sansthan and Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Hospital, New Delhi. We, however, failed to arrange money for his treatment. He died on July 28,” said Mangalam Bhardwaj, his son who has done his Intermediate. “We had to take loans from various persons amounting to Rs 2 lakh for my father’s treatment. Had BSSCL cleared his salary and Provident Funds amount, we would not have to see such a situation. He has been working since 1983. He did not receive his salary since the 1991-1992 financial year. During the last few years, he used to support his family by working as a priest during various pujas,” he added.

Mangalam said BSSC had paid around Rs 20,000 as against Shailendra’s dues of Rs 10 lakh. “I don’t know how to bear the treatment cost of my mother now. The expense ranges between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 every month,” he added.

State sugarcane industry minister Awadhesh Prasad Kushwaha told The Telegraph that Mishra’s family should file a fresh application to the department for financial help. “The department will provide assistance to the family. Sugar mills running under BSSC were closed with huge financial debts to be paid to the government and the banks. The present government has initiated steps to revive the closed mills. Eight such mills have been revived and the process to clear outstanding salaries and PF amounts has been started.”

Sources in the Guraru Sugar Mill Mazdoor Sangathan Samiti, a union of the factory workers, said Mishra was the 56th employee of the mill who died failing to afford treatment cost. Chandradev Prasad Yadav, the secretary of the union, said: “At the beginning, the mill had 860 permanent and seasonal employees. The number of permanent employees has come down to 30, while the unit has 218 seasonal workers. Production in the mill has stopped since the 1991-92 financial year. In absence of salary payment, many employees are working as labourers or night watchmen.”

BSSC sources said following the initiative of managing director Lakshmeshwar Jha, who retired last month, the government had provided Rs 20 lakh for the treatment of employees suffering from chronic disease.

Earlier this month, the high court asked the corporation to clear pending salaries of around 100 employees by September 2. The court pronounced the verdict while hearing a case between Vinod Poddar, a retired liaison officer of the corporation, and the BSSC. Poddar had not received salaries for nearly six years of service and benefits, including pension. Poddar had a history of coronary heart disease since 2005 and retired from BSSC on September 30, 2011.