A crisis gripped workers of the Kohinoor tea estate in the Alipurduar district as the garden’s manager abruptly left the premises without notice on Saturday night, leaving 888 workers unemployed.
Until recently, only plucking operations were being carried out in the estate, which is under the Samuktala police station, with workers earning daily wages. However, with the manager’s sudden disappearance, work has come to a halt.
Deprived of income, a section of the workers started working on Monday as casual workers in a neighbouring tea estate.
“Our garden has problems that have not been addressed for a long time. Our provident fund is due and no perks were provided by the management for years now. We have no alternative livelihood, but have to feed our families. That is why some of us are working in the adjacent estate,” said Raju Lohar, a worker.
The Citu leadership warned of a protest in front of Dooars Kanya in Alipurduar town if the state labour department and the administration failed to address the impasse.
Nakul Sonar, chairman of the Trinamul Cha Bagan Sramik Union (TCBSU), said: “We are in touch with state labour minister Moloy Ghatak on the matter.”
Gopal Biswas, the deputy labour commissioner of Alipurduar, said: "We will soon convene a meeting to resolve the issue of the Kohinoor tea estate."
Wage meeting fails
Monday's tripartite meeting convened at the office of the deputy labour commissioner in Jalpaiguri to resolve the stalemate of the Debpara tea estate, Banarhat block, failed to yield results.
On Sunday, workers of the garden filed a police complaint against the management for unpaid wages. Since September 24, the garden is abandoned.
On Monday, trade union leaders of Trinamool and BJP-backed unions were also present at the meeting with workers.
“Workers are starving. The owner must reopen the garden and settle all dues, or else, the state labour department should arrange for a new owner,” said Sanjay Kuzur, a vice-president of TCBSU who attended the meeting.
Subhagata Gupta, the deputy labour commissioner, said no formal closure notice was issued in Debpara. “The management is away from the garden, workers are not reporting for duty. We heard both sides. We will call another meeting next week,” he said.