Plan to hold Delhi stir over Duncans deadlock

Manas R Bannerjee Siliguri, | 28 October, 2015: In a bid to end the stalemate in 16 tea estates under the Duncans group in north Bengal, senior trade union leaders have proposed their umbrella organizations to stage a workers' agitation in Delhi soon to draw the attention of the union commerce and industry ministry.

Senior leaders associated with tea plantations apprehend that more tea workers will die if the deadlock continues. It may be mentioned that some tea workers have died in other closed tea plantations, including the Bagrakote Tea Estate owned by the Duncans group.

The latest victim of poverty was Mukti Santhal, who died owing to prolonged illness at the Bagrakote TE.

"I have proposed to the leaders of the co-ordination committee of trade unions and others associated with the Joint Forum to stage a workers' agitation in Delhi. The objective is to draw the attention of the union government as well as the commerce and industry ministry in a bid to resolve the crisis of over 25,000 workers associated with 16 tea plantations in north Bengal," an 86-year-old trade union leader, Chitta Dey, told The Statesman over the phone.

"I have already made the proposal, but there is a question mark on the preparations for the programme in Delhi. We will discuss the matter in the next meeting of the Joint Forum," Dey, the convener of the coordination committee, said.

"The state labour directorate has been convening reconciliation meetings on the present crises in the Duncans plantations. The state labour directorate should immediately issue a notification and refer the case to the tribunal. Both the central and state governments should take up the matter at a war footing in the interest of the 25,000 tea workers," Dey said.

"The Tea Board, which is under the Union commerce and industry ministry, should take over such sick industries based on the Tea Act 1953. But both the state and the centre are allegedly reluctant to come forward," he added.

However, another senior leader and spokesperson of the Joint Forum, Ziaul Alam, said: "Both the state and central governments have allegedly allowed the Duncans group owned by GP Goenka and others to go with their own designs."

"The labour department has done its duty, and now it is the duty of the state and central government's commerce and industry departments," he said, adding, "Duncans is now under the board for industrial and financial reconstruction (BIFR)."

Enforcement officials from the provident fund office have filed cases against GP Goenka and others over non-payment of workers. Recently, Darjeeling district officials have expressed concern over the ongoing unrest in some tea plantations owned by the Duncans group.

North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb has also taken initiatives to resolve the crisis and restore law and order at Gangaram TE near Bagdorgra in Siliguri.

"The situation needs a permanent solution. Distribution of rice and wheat at the rate of Rs.2 and 3 per kg respectively by the state government is not the permanent solution. No initiative has been taken to resolve the ongoing deadlock in the 16 Tea Estates," Dey said.