Four die in Duncans tea gardens

TT, Alipurduar, Nov. 29: Four more persons have died in two tea gardens owned by the Duncans Goenka Group which has been defaulting on the disbursal of wages and rations since April.

While three were from Huntapara Tea Estate, the fourth one was from Dhumchipara. Both the gardens are under Madarihat block in the Dooars.

In Huntapara, Birakh Sing Mongor, 70, and Gopal Oraon, 40, died on Friday, while Champa Ghatoar, 60, breathed her last yesterday. With the demise of the three, the death toll in the garden in the past one month has reached 15.

Bishnu Lama, a worker of the garden, said the labourers were in an acute financial crisis because of non-payment of wages and rations, and the deaths were because of unavailability of proper food and treatment.

"Birakh was suffering from breathing problems and died at his home. Gopal died in a hospital. Champa was not provided with proper treatment and died at her house. Every family in the garden is in crisis as we are not getting wages, rations and fringe benefits. Leaders of different political parties visit the garden and promise a lot but nothing happens. Medical teams do not visit our garden. If one doesn't get sufficient food, how will medicines work?. Nobody is taking any initiative to restore normalcy in the plantation."

Gopal was a worker in Huntapara.

In Dhumchipara, Paoli Pyke, 35, died at her home last night, taking the death toll in the garden in the past one month to six.

Gendu Pyke, the husband of the deceased, said: "There was less amount of blood in my wife's body (haemoglobin count was less). We took her to Madarihat block health centre almost a month ago and she was later shifted to Birpara state general hospital. Doctors again referred her to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital. I needed at least Rs 2,000 to take her to Siliguri. In the present situation, I didn't have that much money and brought my wife back home. She died at our home last night."

Sabyosachi Saha, the Madarihat block medical officer of health, said Birakh and Champa from Huntapara had died of old age-related ailments. "But Gopal died after being stung by bee. Paoli had been referred to the NBMCH, but she was instead taken home. Medical teams are visiting both the gardens on a regular basis."

Bishnu Gathani of the Bagan Bachao Committee in Huntapara, however, said he didn't know if Gopa's death had anything to do with bee sting.

"I was told by workers that he was unwell because of lack of food. We don't have faith in anyone. We will hold a demonstration in Birpara from 10am to 4pm tomorrow."