Activists: N Bengal tea workers are starving

Pinak Priya Bhattacharya,TNN | Dec 22, 2015, JALPAIGURI/KOLKATA: Rights activists and academics who visited the two tea gardens in north Bengal to inquire into reports of the unusually high number of deaths in the belt say they found unmistakeable symptoms of malnutrition among workers. 

"Prolonged starvation has caused malnutrition, frail health and abnormal reduction of body weight. A considerable number of people are suffering from lack of appetite, vomiting, swelling, nausea, jaundice, muscle weakening, kwashiorkor, vitamin deficiency, anemia, diarrhea, rashes and other diseases," said Sasanka Dev, a rights activist who visited Dumchipara tea estate in Alipurduar and Bagrakote tea estate in Jalpaiguri in November. 

"We have seen neurological, jaundice and truberculosis patients waiting to die simply because they do not have money to reach government hospitals and avail of the free treatment." 

The two estates are among several tea gardens where work has been su spended for the last 10-12 months. But they have not been officially declared closed. Hence, while health facilities, ration, electricity and water have been withdrawn, the workers are unable to avail of a state scheme that provides Rs 1,500 a month as financial assistance to workers of closed industrial units. 

Even as the probe team was speaking about the plight of such tea gardens in the Dooars and Terai region, the management of Sylee tea estate under Malbazar police station declared a suspension of work citing 'labour unrest'. The closure has left more than 1,100 labourers unemployed. 

Trouble has been brewing in the garden over nonpayment of dues like PF and ration. On Friday, the labou rers had staged a demonstration in front of the garden office demanding payout.Police had stepped in to ensure that things did not spiral out of control. While the management said it would clear the dues shortly, a suspension of work notice was put up on Monday. 

"Once the gardens stop operations, they withdraw all facilities. Since several of these are located in remote locations, alternative job opportunities are scarce.Scarcity of food is a problem. Right to food is being violated. Large number of workers and their families are starving," said activist Wilfred Topno. 

"In Dhumchipara, after closure of the food distrubution system, the families were brought under Antyoday Anna Yojna (AAY) scheme, but the way the food is distributed indicates rampant corruption. Records are not kept properly. In Bagrakote, AAY scheme has not even been introduced. People are migrating; some are even being trafficked," said Topno, adding that workers in Assam tea gardens were better off than those in north Bengal gardens.