The change in the state government has sparked fresh hope among workers of cinchona plantations — a 150-year-old plantation network established at Mungpoo in the Kurseong subdivision in 1862.

The plantation expanded to Moonsong in 1900, Rongo in 1938 and Latpanchar in 1943. Today, it spans nearly 26,000 acres across the Darjeeling hills.

According to the workers, decades of neglect under the previous state government pushed the once-iconic medicinal plantation into decline. Widespread irregularities, poor wages, lack of recruitment for vacant posts and unresolved land-related issues have affected the workers.

Santosh Khawas, a cinchona worker and a central committee member of the Darjeeling Terai Dooars Plantation Labour Union (DTDPLU) affiliated to the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, said that around 5,353 workers are currently employed on a day-wage basis across the plantation’s 14 divisions in Mungpoo, Moonsong, Rongo and Latpanchar.

“Apart from over 5,000 day wage workers, nearly 1,200 staff members are engaged in the plantation, of which around 700 posts are lying vacant. Due to the absence of supervisors, senior workers have been informally managing day-to-day operations. Workers are still deprived of minimum wages and the last wage revision took place in 2010. At present, workers receive only ₹332 per day,” Khawas said.

A source said cinchona is cultivated across nearly 6,900 acres and the remaining land is used for medicinal plants such as dioscorea and ipecac, as well as crops like rubber and cardamom.

The BJP's sweeping victory across the state, including all three Assembly constituencies in the hills, has given the workers hope.

During a victory rally in Kalimpong on May 18, BJP MP Raju Bista had promised that land rights would be given to the workers who serve under the directorate of cinchona and other medicinal plants in the Darjeeling hills.

“Like tea workers, they reside in the plantations and do not have land rights so far,” said a source.

Sonam Lama, the BJP MLA of Kurseong, visited Mungpoo, around 50km from Siliguri, on Wednesday and assured the workers that he would raise the issue of reviving the plantations with the appropriate authorities.

“Despite being one of the most iconic medicinal plantations in the hills, it has suffered years of neglect under previous governments. Irregularities, land rights issues, lack of recruitment, and poor wages have continued unchecked. I will soon take up these matters with the state government and the authorities concerned to ensure necessary steps are taken for its revival,” Lama said on Thursday.