Gujarat HC approves mill land sale, delayed justice for workers

After a tough 35-year legal battle, the Gujarat High Court has finally approved the sale of 58,000 sq. yards of land belonging to the bankrupt Aryoday Spinning & Weaving Mills in Ahmedabad's Asarwa. The land, valued at Rs 82 crore, will be purchased by Devbhoomi Agrifresh.

This decision comes as a bittersweet victory for the 3,285 workers who have been patiently waiting for their rightful compensation since the mill's closure in 1989. Despite the long delay, only a meager Rs 55 lakh has been disbursed to the workers so far, and tragically, over 60 per cent of them have passed away during this protracted legal process.

The official liquidator had made multiple attempts to sell the land since 2016, but it wasn't until Devbhoomi Agrifresh offered the highest bid that the court approved the sale. While this decision brings some relief to the secured creditors, it highlights the systemic failures that have caused immense suffering to the workers and their families.