Job offer a mistake, admits govt

Vivek Chhetri, TT, Darjeeling, Feb. 17: The West Bengal Tea Development Corporation Limited today admitted that there was a mistake in its offer of government jobs to all 3,000 employees of five WBTDC gardens that have been privatised.

Puneet Yadav, Darjeeling district magistrate, today held a meeting with representatives of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's union for tea garden labourers over a notice issued by Moumita Godara, managing director, WBTDC, on February 3, asking employees to fill up formats stating whether they wanted to continue with the government or the new management.

"The offer was only for the nine managerial staff members in three hill gardens (which belonged to the corporation)," Yadav said after today's meeting.

Godara, who also attended the meeting, said there were six managerial staff members in the two plain gardens who would be given the option. The

The decision implies that workers will have no option to choose a government job.

Yadav said: "There had been a miscommunication regarding the offer. This has been explained to union leaders who will disseminate the information to workers. All forms filled by workers were brought to Darjeeling and they have been handed over to the managers of the respective gardens. The forms will be given back to the workers."

The meeting also resolved to clear the liabilities to workers in three tea estates previously owned by the corporation in the hills. The liabilities, which include gratuity and unpaid fringe benefits, stand at around 74 lakh and will be paid in seven to 10 days.

The government auctioned off Pandam, Rangmook-Cedar and Rangaroon in the hills and Mahua and Hilla in the Dooars to private firms. The three hill gardens have been sold to Darjeeling Organic Tea Estate Private Limited and the Dooars gardens have gone to Malnady Tea Estates Private Limited.

Replying to the February 3 notice, almost all the 2,400-odd workers in the three hill gardens had opted for government jobs. None of the 779 workers in Nagrakata's Hilla had responded to the notice, while most of the 146 labourers in Mahua opted for government jobs.

Tilak Chand Roka, the advisor to the Morcha's trade union, Darjeeling Terai Dooars Plantation Labour Union, said: "This is the first time we are being officially intimidated that the gardens have been sold to private firms. We are happy that all liabilities are being cleared. We have nothing to say about the job offer."