Rice cry in Madhu tea estate

TT, Alipurduar, Oct. 26: Workers of the closed Madhu Tea Estate are upset as they are yet to receive rice at Rs 2 per kg as promised by food and supplies minister Jyotipriya Mullick about 10 days back.

Mullick had visited the closed Dheklapara Tea Estate on October 16 to observe World Food Day and said: “ I have instructed officials of the department to provide rice at Rs 2 per kg to the workers of Madhu Tea Estate as soon as possible. We are determined to provide two square meals to people in all closed tea gardens.”

After the garden was shut down on September 23, five meetings were held in different offices of the labour department but were unsuccessful.

Suresh Turi, the garden unit secretary of NUPW, said: “We are in a severe crisis as we did not get the bonus. The food minister announced that we would get rice at Rs 2 per kg but till today, we have not received it. After the management left the garden, no one from the administration visited us.”

Samiran Mandal, the subdivisional officer of Alipurduar, said: “We have taken up the issue with the officials of the food supply department and hopefully, the distribution of rice will start in Madhu Tea Estate soon.”