An appeal to the Central and State Governments about the Tea Garden Workers

Chaaybagan Sangram Samity

An appeal to the Central and State Governments about the Tea Garden Workers

We know that workers of Alchemist and Duncan-Goenka run tea gardens in North Bengalare living in a state of indescribable indigence.

The owners of Duncan-Goenka tea gardens have stopped payments to workers from April, 2015, the running of the gardens ceased and even the managers left the gardens in some places. Seven tea gardens run by this group, situated at Dooars, are at present completely closed. No proper solution regarding their opening and the payment of dues for the workers is coming in effect. As a result, families of the workers of these gardens are suffering from uncertainty of job, precarious rationing system, poor child education, scant water supply and shattered health services. Naturally they are living in a highly distressed situation.

The three gardens of Alchemist group namely Peshok, Kalej Valley and Dooteriah in the hills of Darjeeling are also suffering from same fate of wretchedness. The gardens are nominally open. The workers are not having their wages. Consequently, they are deprived of various other facilities. The gardens have 2,544 permanents and around three thousands of casual workers. The cash arrears due to them amount to 1.72 crore rupees and reaches up to 5 crores if bills for medicine, firewoods, umbrella, gumboot etc. and due gratuity for retired personnel are taken into account.
The owners did not honour the decision of returning the dues of the workers twice after it had been settled in tripartite meetings called by the Labour Department of the Govt. On the one hand the wages are nominal and on the other workers are being deprived of their legal benefits like medical treatment, umbrella, gumboot, blanket, firewood and crèche for children.

Consequently, the schedule of due payment amount and list is becoming longer and larger day by day. So far no significant steps are visible to ensure proper implementation of Plantations Labour Act or punishment for violation of rules.

In these circumstances, we appeal to the Union Government and the Tea Board of India as well as the State Government and Tea Development Corporation of the state for intervening in a coordinated manner into the issues and ensuring payment of dues for the workers. We also appeal them to take necessary action for properly running the closed and sick tea gardens.