Ooty : Upset and shocked 165 staff of Hindustan Photo Films (HPF) in Udhagamandalam in nearby Nilgiris district, by the announcement of official closure of the unit, today observed a sit-in dharna in its premises in protest against the move.

The closure notice of HPF, a landmark in the major tourism district and manufacturers of Indu brand films, was displayed on the notice board yesterday.

Further more what was in store when the notice read that the remaining employees, nearly 165, were relieved from June 30, 2016 and will not not be paid their salaries from that date.

According to trade union sources, the employees, who were on sit in dharna have not not received salaries from 2016 and no relieving orders were served so far and hence the closure order was illegal and unlawful.

HPF, manufacturers of both x-ray and photo films, had employed nearly 4,500 workers in its haydays, was declared as a sick unit and Rs.181 crore VRS was announced for nearly 710 employees, in 1996 after referred to Board of Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR).

Since the employees were asked to vacate the quarters, the staff sat in dharna on the premises and senior officials managed to convince to withdraw their agitation so that a solution can be found.