Calcutta, May 16 :    Calcutta, May 16:  Saddled with stock pileup due to lower offtake, Bata India Limited has declared a production holiday at its Batanagar factory from May 21 to 25. Taking into account that the factory is closed on Saturdays and Sundays and the annual compulsory privilege leave (ACPL) is between May 28 and June 1, production at Batanagar will actually remain suspended for 16 days at a stretch from May 19. Bata declares ACPL twice a year-during the summer and the Pujas-when the employees avail their earned leave of 12 days. The management has issued a notice to the 5,000 employees of Batanagar factory that they will be granted special leave with pay during the production holiday from May 21 to 25. The notice says, 'All workmen and employees of Batanagar factory are hereby notified that owing to expected lower stock offtake from the factory it has been decided to grant special leave with full basic wages and 100 per cent dearness allowance to all workmen employees of the Batanagar factory.' Confirming the move, M.J.Z Mowla, senior vice-president of the company, said, 'We have to close down the production since the demand is not picking up and the stock is piling up at our factory. The market is also sluggish.' 'Last year we had to close down the factory for five days since the stock was piling up at the factory,' he added. According to Mowla, Bata has taken the decision to restrict credit sales to wholesale dealers in order to recover outstandings from them. Bata India channelises a considerable portion of its products through wholesalers, while the bulk amount is sold through its own retail outlets. The Batanagar factory manufactures 60,000-65,000 pieces of Hawai and canvas shoes and 22,000-24,000 pieces of leather shoes on a day. The employees alleged that though the company will give them salary during the closure period, they will be deprived of the production incentive. Nilratan Kanjilal, general secretary of the Bata Mazdoor Union said, 'While other shoe makers have been able to overcome the sluggish trend Bata has failed to do so.'