Hill job sign with rider - Workers of Dooars garden to seek more time

Rungmook-Cedars Tea Estate in the Darjeeling hills. File picture

TT, Feb. 10: Almost all labourers of the three hill tea gardens recently sold by the state to a private planter have opted for government jobs but have warned that they would approach court if there is any anomaly in the state's process of employing them.

The West Bengal Tea Development Corporation had five gardens in north Bengal - three in the hills and two in the Dooars.

All five have been sold to two groups - the three hull gardens to the Darjeeling Organic Tea Estate Private Limited and the Dooars gardens to the Malnady Tea Estate Private Limited.

The state government had put up a notice in all the five gardens, saying that those who were unwilling to work with the private companies could opt for government jobs. It had given a proforma and the last date of submitting it was today. The government had also said that it would be assumed that those who did not submit the proforma by February 10 wanted to work with the private planters.

In one of the Dooars gardens, Hilla, none of the workers has applied for government jobs as the proforma says nothing about posting and arrears.

Tea union leaders in Hilla said they would approach the Jalpaiguri district administration and the state tomorrow.

Mariam Biwi, the Hilla unit secretary of Citu affiliated Cha Bagan Mazdoor Union, said: "We want the state to extend the dates for application of such jobs, and most important, there should be a detailed notice where answers to all our queries should be put up, so that we can compare the prospects of joining the government job vis-à-vis our existing jobs under the private tea company," she said.

"We will jointly submit memorandum to the district magistrate and will sent copies to the chief minister, labour minister, industry and commerce minister and other officials with other unions, seeking clarification on the job offer," said Durga Mahali, the unit secretary of the Trinamul-backed Dooars Terai Plantation Workers' Union, today.

"Nothing has been clearly mentioned in the notice and none from our garden has applied for the government jobs."

In the hills, when the garden unions were asked why they had opted for the state jobs when there was such confusion, labourer leaders said they would approach court if their demands were not met by the state.

"In all three gardens of hills, almost all the workers have submitted their applications (for government jobs). We have nothing to say against the new company which will eventually own these three gardens but we prefer to join a state government job instead of working in a tea estate," a worker of Rungmook-Cedars said. "We are curious to know what jobs the state will provide us."

The workers said they would move to court if there is any anomaly in the process. "The state has provided us the option and has notified that we would be provided with government jobs. Now if there is any anomaly or delay in the process, we would have no other option but to move to the judiciary," a worker said.

The Morcha-backed Darjeeling Terai Dooars Plantation Labour Union (DTDPLU), which is the strongest tea union in the hills, confirmed that most of the workers had applied for government jobs. "We hope the state will provide them appropriate postings as per their current earnings and will give all necessary benefits," said Suraj Subba, the general secretary of the union.

There are 1,931 workers in Rungmook-Cedars, 268 in Pandam and 212 in Rangaroon.

In the second Dooars garden, Mahua, almost all workers have opted for government jobs.

"The workers had heard about this option and all of them have submitted their applications today as it was the last day mentioned in the notice," Indrabahadur Biswakarma, a Trinamul leader in Mahua, located in the Dooars under Alipurduar district. "We appreciate the state's decision which has provided this option to workers."

But trade union leaders representing the Joint Forum, the common platform of anti-Trinamul tea trade unions labelled the move a "half-hearted" attempt by the state.

"We have serious doubt on what government jobs these tea workers will eventually get from the state. Recruitments have stopped in most government departments. The chief minister has time and again said there is a funds crunch," said Ziaur Alam, the Forum's convener.

"It is another half-hearted and illogical approach by the state government as no details about the jobs were provided in the notice."

"If a worker leaves his current job and walks out of the garden with his family, he would be jobless and simultaneously, deprived of other benefits provided by the management. There is no concrete assurance from the state on when he would receive his dues, his salary in the future and other aspects. We are apprehensive of yet another impasse where the livelihood of around 3,000 people would be at risk because of an immature decision of the state government. If the interest of any of these workers is compromised, we will launch a movement," he added.

There are 779 workers in Hilla, second highest workforce in these five gardens after Rungmook-Cedars, garden sources said.