A closed tea garden in the Dooars. Picture by Biplab Basak

Jalpaiguri, Jan. 2: For workers of Carron Tea Garden, hopes of the estate reopening after a two-year closure have been dashed by a dispute between union leaders and the new owners.

The new management and the garden’s union have fallen out over the payment of dues left pending by the earlier owners.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on December 4 between both sides to pave the way for reopening the garden.

The garden, earlier owned by R.L. Plantation Pvt Ltd, was bought by Basu Tea Pvt Ltd on October 31, 2003.

Director of of Basu Tea Private Ltd P.K. Basu said: “When we purchased the garden, we also paid the earnest money. Calcutta High Court had ruled that the liabilities of the new management would start from the date of operation. All other liabilities left pending by the earlier owner would be cleared by the official liquidator appointed for this purpose.”

An agreement was reached between the management and union leaders over reopening the garden. This, however, fell through with the union refusing to commit itself to the terms and conditions at a later date.

Union leaders claimed that labourers were resentful and would only resume work if their earlier dues were cleared. According to Basu, the new management had even agreed to work closely with the liquidator to ensure that workers received their dues, but the union was unwilling to accept this assurance.

“The high court had passed on order on November 19, stating that the official liquidator would ensure payment of dues left pending by the previous owner. As per the order, our responsibilities would commence from the date of reopening. We subsequently met the union leaders and worked out an agreement. Later, they changed their stand and our efforts to assure them about their dues failed. This leaves us with no other option but to leave the garden,” said Basu.

The new management claimed that the garden was scheduled to open on December 22. At a meeting with the Citu-affiliated Cha Bagan Mazdoor Union on December 19, the leaders refused to comply with the terms and conditions set by the MOU signed by both parties earlier on December 4.

The union leaders, however, said it was the workers’ resentment at not receiving their dues that compelled them to back out.

“We are aware that the new management is ready to bear all liabilities from the date of operation, but the workers want assurance that their dues would be cleared. There is a fear that the amount fixed by the liquidator may be much less than the actual dues. We wanted an assurance on this from the new owner, but it was not forthcoming. As a result, the issue of reopening the garden has reached a deadlock,” said a union leader who did not want to be named.

The new management of the estate expressed regret that despite complying with the high court orders and investing a substantial sum, the effort to open the garden had proved futile.