Dooars tea garden reopens

TT, Alipurduar, Dec. 2: The Dalshingpara Tea Estate in the Dooars was reopened today after more than two-months of lock-out following an agitation by workers for higher bonus.

The garden with 1,500 labourers had been locked out on September 26.

When the estate, 45km from here, was opened today, the manager held a meeting explaining to the workers the details of an agreement that paved way for an end to the impasse.

The meeting was addressed at the instance of trade union leaders who said the workers were not bothered about their decisions and orders.

Rupinder Singh Ranawat, the general manager, said: “We reopened the garden according to the agreement at a meeting (attended by the representatives of the garden management and trade unions) held in the office of the joint labour commissioner on November 22.Union leaders agreed that we could take disciplinary action against those workers who came in the way of the operations in the garden.”

The estate resumed the operations at 10am, instead of the routine time of 7am, because of the meeting.