During the lean season, workers are engaged only for pruning and field and factory maintenance work

Darjeeling, Jan. 13: The owner of Chungtung tea estate, situated around 25 km from here, abandoned the garden last night.

The incident has once again raised questions about management?s responsibility towards workers during the non-productive period and the justification of closing down estates during the period to save costs.

When workers of the Chungtung estate went to report for work this morning, they found that the entire managerial staff ? the manager, four assistant managers and the factory in-charge ? had already left the garden. A source said the management of East India Produce, which runs the garden, had suggested that the workers accept certain ?cost-saving measures? to improve the reportedly poor financial condition of the estate. The owners wanted to convene a meeting for this, which the unions refused to attend, said L.M. Lama, the gram panchayat pradhan of the area.

Extending the working hour from eight to nine hours and forfeiting the wages of three days topped the proposals, a source said.

The management sent a letter to the unions, reportedly threatening to close the garden permanently if they did not accept the conditions within January 15.

?The owners take such policies during lean seasons,? said Sawan Rai, a central committee member of the CPRM.

Reopening demand

The management of the closed Bharnabari tea garden in Jaigaon today submitted a 15-point charter of demands before the deputy labour commissioner in Jalpaiguri as conditions to reopen the estate, closed since December 5, 2005. The owner wants to lay off 600 of the 1,855 labourers and halve the wages of the staff and sub-staff, said Rabi Mitra, secretary of the Citu-affiliated Cha Bagan Majdoor Union.