Ration relief for three shut estates - Minister trio visit Red Bank garden

(From left) Ministers Jyotipriya Mullick, Purnendu Basu and Gautam Deb at Red Bank Tea Estate.
Picture by Biplab Basak

TT, Nov. 11: A ministerial trio today visited the closed Red Bank Tea Estate in Jalpaiguri and announced ration relief for workers of three closed gardens of the same group where 12 people had died since October.

North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb, food minister Jyotipriya Mullick and labour minister Purnendu Basu this afternoon listened to the plight of residents of Red Bank, Dharanipur and Surendranagar — all owned by the Red Bank Group.

Seven persons have died in Red Bank, three in Surendranagar and two in Dharanipur, all in the Dooars.

“From December 1, we will supply flour, not wheat (750gm of flour to each ration card holder a week). Also, each ration card holder would be provided 750ml of kerosene, instead of the stipulated 400ml, from this week. We are here following instructions of the chief minister and we would take all possible steps to take care of the workers,” Mullick said.

The management abandoned the three gardens, which together employed over 2,200 workers, on October 19.

“Officials have been told to set up camps and distribute ration cards to all those who do not possess it,” Mullick added.

The ministers accompanied by state and district leaders of the Inttuc — the workers’ front of Trinamul — met the workers near the hospital of Red Bank group and took down notes as they narrated their plight.

“We are eating tea flowers and wild herbs. It is tough for us to even arrange for a meal,” said Shanti Kher of the Red Bank garden. “We do not have money for food or medicines for our ailing family members. We are not getting any health services,” she said.

The estates had closed down on September 2003 and went into liquidation on February 2005. Owner Robin Paul issued power of attorney to a Siliguri-based businessman, on March 31, 2011. The gardens were closed again in December last year and reopened on June 10 by Paul. In October, the garden was shut again.

Some tea garden owners in the Dooars shut their estates, sometimes without giving any notice to workers, during the lean season between November-end and March when no leaves are plucked. If the owners keep the gardens running, they need to pay for power and water and also wages to the workers. The workers allege that the owners shut down the estates to avoid these costs.

The workers in Red Bank today said that their children had stopped going to school and were picking stones from the Diana riverbed to earn money by selling them.

“We want the state government to make arrangements for reopening the gardens or acquire them. Robin Paul, the owner, has failed to deliver his responsibilities and we want the state to hand over the gardens to a new owner,” said worker Kishore Biswakarma.

Labour minister Purnendu Basu said: “A section of planters, including the Red Bank group, is not abiding by the Plantation Labour Act and has dues pending at the provident fund office. They are not attending meetings to resolve problems so that the closed gardens can be reopened. We will convene a meeting where they would be asked to clarify the issues. If such situations prevail, the state would take steps.”

Sources said the north Bengal development department would take steps to ensure that the garden children attend school. “Funds could be provided to buy fuel for vehicles that ferry them,” said a source.

Deb today said the 100 days’ work scheme had been started in Red Bank and Surendranagar. “It would continue there and also in Dharanipur. Officials of the district administration and the departments concerned have been asked to monitor the gardens,” he said.