A section of workers of the tea estates run by the Merico Agro Industries in the Alipurduar district on Tuesday continued with their sit-in demonstration in front of Dooars Kanya, the district collectorate in Alipurduar town, demanding a written assurance — a schedule of payments of the due wages — from the company.

The demonstration started on Monday evening after the management did not turn up at a tripartite meeting convened by the deputy labour commissioner to resolve the stalemate in some of the gardens run by the company.

On Tuesday, the company submitted a written assurance to the state labour department, stating that it would pay a fortnight’s wages to workers of three tea gardens — Dhumchipara, Garganda and Tulsipara — on January 9, along with the proposed payment schedule.

As of now, wages for seven fortnights are due in these gardens.

The assurance, however, failed to pacify the agitating workers. “Unless the workers receive the payment schedule in writing, duly signed by the director of Merico, the ‘dharna’ will continue. Once the document is handed over, the movement will be withdrawn,” said trade union leader Anuradha Talwar.

When the tripartite meeting was cancelled because of the absence of management’s representatives on Monday, the workers got annoyed, and one of them even tried to commit suicide at Dooars Kanya.

Soon, the workers launched the demonstration, and later at night, Migni Oraon, a woman worker from the Huntapara tea estate, fell ill because of a cold. She was rushed to the Alipurduar district hospital at around 11.30pm and was discharged on Tuesday.

Gopal Biswas, the deputy labour commissioner of Alipurduar, who stayed overnight at Dooars Kanya as the demonstration continued, said he conveyed the company’s message to the workers.

“The company will pay a fortnight’s wage for these three gardens on January 9 and will also provide the schedule for subsequent payments on the same day,” he said.

The workers, however, are unperturbed and are continuing their dharna. “We will not withdraw until the demands are met. Also, wages are due in some other gardens run by the group. Those should also be disbursed immediately,” said a worker who has joined the protest.

In such a situation, the Trinamool Cha Bagan Sramik Union (TCBSU) has sent a letter to the state labour department today, seeking an immediate meeting to resolve the issue of due wages in 16 tea gardens of Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri district.

“We have asked for an immediate tripartite meeting, and have specifically mentioned that only registered trade unions and not NGOs should be invited for the talks,” said a TCBSU leader.