Medical camp in tea estate

TT, Nov. 2: The Jalpaiguri district health administration today opened a round-the-clock medical camp at Bagrakote Tea Estate where 12 labourers or their family members have died in the past one month amid allegations of malnourishment.

The garden, which is owned by the Duncans Goenka Group, is open but workers and trade union leaders have alleged that pay and ration distribution have been irregular for the past eight months.

This morning, north Bengal development minister Gautam Deb visited the garden. He spoke to families of the deceased and sent an ailing resident to the subdivisional hospital in Malbazar, about 20km away.

Later, Deb said: "The manner in which the tea company which owns Bagrakote and some others in north Bengal are running the gardens, it is disappointing. Gardens cannot be run in such a manner. The chief minister is aware of the entire issue and it is on her instructions that the CID has called the management to know about the state of affairs in these gardens and some other issues."

He, however, refuted the allegation that workers died because they did not get enough nutritious food. "There has been no death because of malnutrition or lack of treatment. We are providing relief to each family. Also, a medical team has been posted in the garden," Deb said.

Prakash Mridha, the district chief medical officer of health, said they have opened the 24-hour health camp in the garden. "During the night, there will be a doctor and some paramedics in the camp. Also, those who need to be admitted for treatment, have been shifted to hospitals," he said.

Siliguri mayor Asok Bhattacharya said he had sent a letter to chief minister Mamata Banerjee today "requesting her to see that the workers of Duncans Group's tea estates and their families are provided with relief and other help. The state should take responsibility of education, electricity, health, drinking water and other facilities to workers. Also, the state should provide financial assistance for these workers, I have mentioned in the letter," Asok said.

The CPM leader has also pointed in his letter that even though the chief minister had visited north Bengal on multiple trips during the past eight months, she has never visited or spoken about the Duncans gardens.

"It seems that the MLAs and ministers from north Bengal have not informed her about the plight of these workers, who are suffering due to irresponsible acts on the part of the management for the past eight months. I have thus requested the chief minister to intervene and provide all possible help to the workers," he added.