Sakhi Kheria

Alipurduar, Nov. 22: The RSP upapradhan of Bandapani panchayat has blamed the local MP and MLA of his party for “not doing anything” for the residents of Nepania division of the closed Dheklapara tea estate.

“I feel ashamed that although Kumari Kujur of the RSP is the local MLA and Manohar Tirkey, the MP of Alipurduar, is also from the party, they have never visited our garden. They could do many things for us using the Local Area Development Funds. Although I am from the same party, I could not get anything for the garden workers from these people,” upapradhan Sakhi Kheria said.

Out of 278 families of Nepania division, only 12 are in the BPL category. Sources said no one gets old age pension in the area and widow allowance of Rs 10,000 (given at a time) has not been distributed.

Residents of the division had worked under the NREGS for 28 days from April this year and work for another 14 days under the rural job scheme started two days ago.

According to sources, 15 people have died of suspected malnutrition in the garden in the past two months and health staff and doctors hardly ever visit the area.

“The survey for BPL category was conducted in 2007. But when the list came out, I was surprised to see only 12 families in it. In 2006, the Left Front government had declared that all people of closed tea gardens would be enlisted in the BPL category. Our garden has been shut since 2002. This year, a survey has been conducted and hopefully, everybody would come under the BPL category. In the new list, a BPL family will get a hut under the Indira Awas Yojna and subsidised ration,” said Kheria.

Dheklapara is in Bandapani panchayat of Madarihat-Birpara block, 72km from Alipurduar town.

Nepania division has three labour lines, Nich Line, Basha Line and Baidar Line.

Nich Line does not have power connection. Sources said old people of the area get cooked food from the local panchayat once a day instead of twice under the Sahay scheme of the central government.

Smaraki Mahapatra, the district magistrate of Jalpaiguri, said: “Hopefully, the people of Nich Line will get electricity in the next 15 days. We have decided to instal two deep tube wells in Nepania.”

Swapan Sarkar, the chief medical officer of health, Jalpaiguri, said: “We held a meeting with the DM on Tuesday. We have arranged for an ambulance for Dheklapara that would be parked at the Birpara State General Hospital, the nearest hospital from the garden, 12km away. Doctors and heath staff would visit the garden thrice a week.”