Jaigaon, June 22: The state government has withdrawn its decision to stop supply of kerosene to tea garden workers at subsidised rates.

All the trade unions of the tea gardens, irrespective of party affiliation, were up in arms against the government’s move to withdraw the facility.

State committee member of the Citu and general secretary of Tea Garden Workers’ Union Mantu Bose, who informed reporters about the government’s decision today, said his organisation had conveyed its “gratitude” to the government.

In 1991, a tripartite agreement was signed in presence of the then labour minister Shanti Ranjan Ghatak and power minister Shankar Sen, stating electricity would be provided to at least 30 per cent tea gardens.

“But the agreement is yet to be implemented. Besides, the garden owners do not supply adequate firewood to the workers. Naturally, they are totally dependent on kerosene,” said Bose.

He said the workers’ pay scales have not been revised after the term of the last wage agreement expired on March 31 this year. “Under the circumstances, workers would find it hard to buy kerosene from the open market at high prices.”.

Garden workers are also holding meetings to support their demands under the banner of Co-ordination Committee of Tea Plantation Workers, West Bengal.

Their demands include pay revision, provision of electricity in their living quarters, reopening of closed tea gardens, provision of adequate drinking water and medical treatment facilities.