File picture of a tea garden in Assam

Guwahati, April 21: The Assam Tea Tribes Students Association today sought the help of garden management for the proper implementation of various measures the students’ organisation has undertaken in the tea estates to “reform” the tea community.

The ATTSA office-bearers said the management had also been asked to resort to pay cuts, if necessary, for the errant workers.

“It would be easier to implement these measures with the help of the garden management,” the general secretary of the association, Pallab Das, said.

The students’ association, representing the tea community, has recently undertaken various measures in the tea gardens to improve the health of the tea community and impart education among the tea workers’ children.

As part of these new schemes, the association has banned watching TV between 6pm and 8pm so that the students of the tea community can concentrate on their studies.

The parents are also being asked to co-operate by not switching on their TV sets during these two hours.

The influential tea tribe students’ association will organise a three-day seminar from April 30 in Tinsukia district to train its members for proper implementation of these measures.

Experts from various fields impart the training.

There are over 800 tea gardens across the state with nearly 20 lakh garden workers.

Das said despite an improvement in the education scenario in the tea gardens in recent times because of several awareness campaigns launched by the students’ organisation, there was room for improvement.

More than 200 tea community students secured first division in the High School Leaving Certificate examination last year, which is a record.

The previous year, nearly 150 students had secured first division.

The association has made it compulsory for students to take a bath and have pedicure/manicure.

It has also ruled that they would be put through a hygiene drill every Saturday in their schools.

The association has also involved members of the Mothers’ Club, Anganwadi and accredited social health activists to implement the health measures.

Das said although tea workers were getting benefits from the National Rural Health Mission schemes in recent times, the need of the hour is an awareness among them to stay clean.

Das said it would not be easy to implement such measures in the tea gardens without the help of the garden management.

“So, we have sought help from the garden authorities,” he said.