Official sources on Tuesday said the management decided to extend its earlier date of July 1 to august 1, 1999, after a meeting with the workers recently.

It is to be noted that the management had decided to close down the unit from July 1 saying the high cost of jute fibre has made the product commercially unviable and would produce paper from imported wood pulp which was coming at comparatively cheaper rates.

Meanwhile, a meeting with the workers union was Tuesday held to find ways and means of settling the dues of 95 workers who were working in the jute fibre division. The management was willing to pay something in addition to legitimate dues accrued to the workers, sources said.

Incidentally, the general secretary of Citu affiliated Union of Tribeni Tissue Debashish Chatterjee was also among the 95 workers of jute fibre division, sourcesadded.

The paper mills in and around calcutta were already passing through a difficult situation and the decision of the tribeni tissue management to close down the jute fibre division was another setback to the industry, observers said.