Bara, May 20 Former employees of the bankrupt Eastern Textile Industry Limited in Jitpur Simara Sub-metropolis of Bara organised a press meet today in front of the industry’s main gate, demanding payment of their outstanding salaries. The company has been closed since mid-January 2015. It has yet to pay three years’ salaries to 209 of its staff members. The company’s former staff members said they had requested company operators to release their salary several times, but in vain. At the press meet, staff members again requested the operators to provide them the salary and other benefits they are entitled to and begin operation soon. Irate staff members have warned of protests at the gate if they are not paid. A staffer Suresh Paswan said that the company should provide five lakhs rupees to each worker, approximately covering their salaries and other benefits. “The employees have reached the Birgunj Labour Office several times,” he added. The labour office had reportedly sent several letters to company operators requesting them to release salaries, or to reach a consensus with the employees. But the company operators have yet to respond to the letters. The labour office had then stopped the registration of around two bigaha land belonging to the company at the Land Revenue Office, Bara. Staff members were angered after the company operators offered them less money. They said company operators had in the past forced many employees to take much less than they were entitled to and resign. A staff Amiri Sha said workers won’t settle for less than what they deserve.