Jalpaiguri, June 17: The Indian Tea Planters’ Association (ITPA) has threatened to disconnect electricity supply to the labour colonies of tea gardens unless the West Bengal State Electricity Board (WBSEB) stops the practice of arresting managers on power theft charges while letting the labourers go free.

The ITPA has written to the labour minister and the power minister apprising them of the situation.

The threat follows the arrest of Kalchini tea estate senior manager Y.P. Sehgal on June 13 on charges of power theft.

“The workmen are responsible for power theft but the WBSEB is taking action against the manager. The government should consider amending the rule,” said ITPA principal adviser N.K. Basu.

According to a tripartite agreement signed in 1991, it was decided that the WSEB would collect money from the garden management for supplying electricity to labour lines.

The management, in turn, would collect the amount from the labourers.

The planters had then protested against the decision and proposed that the “individual consumer system”, as is applicable to all other consumers of the state, be implemented. “Our proposal was never considered. WBSEB should provide individual connection,” Basu said.

WBSEB officials, however, said Sehgal was arrested in accordance with the law and the agreement of 1991.