Tukvar tea estate to open from January 18

EOI, Darjeeling 14 Jan 2016 Following a tripartite meeting today, a decision has been reached to reopen Tukvar Tea Estate from January 18. The garden was closed last year following law and order problems.

Tukvar, which is about 12km from Darjeeling town, was established in 1852 and has five divisions. It is presently owned by Jay Shree Tea and Industries Limited. On December 25, 2015 the management issued a suspension notice after the manager of the garden was allegedly threatened by a worker with a knife. The management has alleged that SahdevMukhia, a worker of the garden owing allegiance to the TMC, was the culprit against whom an FIR was lodged with the police.

Apparently, Mukhia had picked up a fight over the issue of working hours. It is binding for every worker to work for at least 120 days. Those who fail to do so are barred from working for three months from December to February during the winter season. Sandeep Mukherjee, principal advisor of the Darjeeling Tea Association, an umbrella organisation of 67 tea gardens in the hills of which Tukvar Tea Estate is a member, said, “In 2014 it was decided with acceptance of all that a worker who failed to work for 120 days would not be allowed to work during the winter period. In today’s meeting it was also agreed by all that disciplinary action would be taken against Mukhia, accused of threatening the manager.”

The management, in the closure notice, had also said that during the period of suspension of operations no statutory obligations like wages, salaries and rations and so on would be disbursed. After the meeting, J.B.Tamang, general secretary of the Darjeeling Zilla Tea Employee Workers’ Union (DZTEWU), said, “We have accepted the conditions set by the management and will adhere to them. The accused must be punished.” Tukvar Tea Estate has a workforce of 1,646 people and produced 1,65,000kg of tea last year as of November 2015. SurajSubba, general secretary of the Darjeeling TeraiDooars Plantation Labour Union (DTDPLU), welcomed the decision. “The fault of a section of workers must not affect others. We too accept that those workers who have not worked for 120 days should not be allowed to work during the three months in winter,” he said.

ALC Chewang Sherpa said, “The garden will be operational from January 18. The accused will also face disciplinary action as per the standing orders act.”