Five more tea garden workers die in Dooars

EOI, JALPAIGURI, 15 Dec 2015: Tragedy struck once again in the closed tea gardens of the Dooars with the deaths of five more workers over the past three days. Three of the deaths were reported from the state government-controlled Redbank tea garden in Banarhat. 

The deceased have been identified as Mahesh Mahali (42), Shanti Oroan (50) and Kul Bahadur Gurung (61). All three deaths were allegedly due to poverty related issues. Mahesh committed suicide by burning himself, while Shanti and Kul Bahadur succumbed to illness. Mahesh, a resident of the Shalbani Division of Redbank, had long been mentally unstable because of the constant quarrels in his household over monetary issues. 

He was taken to Jalpaiguri District Hospital in a critical condition, where he died this morning. Meanwhile, Shanti was paralytic and had been bedridden for a long time. Her family was unable to pay for her medical expenses, which eventually led to her death last night. 

Similar reasons were cited for KulBahadur’s death, who had been suffering from a number of old age-related ailments. The remaining two deaths were reported from the Duncan Group-owned closed Dhumchipara and Birpara tea gardens. The deceased have been identified as Sumitra Devi (35) of Dhumchipara, and Dambik Khondia (45) of Birpara, both victims of poverty. The two were suffering from life threatening ailments, but their families were unable to bear their medical expenses. 

Speaking on the issue, district CMO Dr. Prakash Mridha said every tea garden in the Dooars, both open and closed, have been provided with emergency ambulance services. “We have also been conducting regular medical camps in both the closed and open gardens falling under Jalpaiguri district. Reports of deaths due to lack of medical assistance are baseless,” he maintained, while rejecting allegations of poverty-related deaths.