Kolkata, Sep 10 (IANS): The Ruia Group-owned tyre maker Dunlop India Saturday said unless the law and order situation at its plant in West Bengal's Shahganj improves it cannot resume production.

"We are committed towards resuming production and reviving the plant but unless and until the law and order situation improves, the factory cannot function. We have put forth our grievances before the government, but they are yet to act, said D.K. Dani, one of directors on the board after the company's 84thAnnual General Meeting here.

The West Bengal government had earlier warned the company of stern action for its failure to reopen its Sahaganj 130 MT per day plant within a reasonable period of time and run it in a smooth and proper manner.

Unhappy with the affairs of the management with salaries of workers pending for months, state Labour Minister Purnendu Basu also sought a detailed project report (DPR) from the management.

Citing numerous instances of theft and pilferage from the 239 acre factory premises, Dani accused the state administration of inaction. Over 100 complaints are pending with the police but they are yet to act. They don't even register our complaints so we have to make them through post.

On the issue of outstanding salaries, the management said the dues were cleared till June but due to stoppage of movement of raw materials from the plant the funds for paying the workers' remuneration have dried up.

There is no production here for the last several months. The salaries were being paid through earnings by sending the raw materials stocked here to other group companies. A section of workmen along with some outsiders have stopped the movement. There is nothing we can do unless the movement resumes, said Dani.

However, the management is optimistic of revival of the plant after Ruia Group Chairman P.K. Ruia met Minister Purnendu Basu and Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee and submitted a DPR spelling out relief and concessions the companies hopes to get.

Ruia in August resigned as the director of the company.

The company is also awaiting clearance for setting up a 50 MW co-generation plant at the plant premises through which it hopes to drastically cut down the cost of production.

But the management refused to comment on the reasons as to why the clearance was getting delayed.

The company was bought over by Kolkata-based businessman Ruia from Manohar Rajaram Chhabria's family in late 2005.

After a five-year closure, the premier tyre company had resumed its commercial production at the factory in January 2007.

In November 2008, the company had stopped production at Sahaganj in Hooghly district and then declared suspension of work, citing lack of demand due to the global recession.

It re-opened March 6, 2009, but could not resume production as there was no power connection.

Power was finally restored on Nov 9 and the production process started a month later.

While the company's other plant at Ambattur near Chennai is operational, there has been no production in the Sahaganj plant for the last nine months.

In April the company put up a lay-off notice at Sahaganj, only to withdraw it after three days.