Tea garden reopens

TT, Alipurduar: Demdima, another tea estate of the Duncans Goenka Group, reopened on Friday ahead of the panchayat elections this year.

This is the fifth garden of the group in Madarihat-Birpara block of Alipurduar district that has reopened in recent weeks following the intervention of the state government and Trinamul leaders of the district.

Two other gardens of the group - Tulsipara and Lankapara - in the area are still closed.

The Demdima management on Friday disbursed 40 per cent of the bonus due to workers, as decided at a tripartite meeting held earlier in Calcutta.

Deb Sen, a general manager of the company and leaders of various unions, were present as Demdima was reopened with a puja.

Sources said Rs 260 would be handed over to each worker on Saturday as cash payment for two units of ration provided by the state. Demdima was abandoned by the group around three years back.

"It is good that the garden has finally reopened. Around 80 residents, including some workers, have died during the past three years due to malnutrition and other ailments. We hope the management will run the garden in a consistent manner in the coming days," said a worker.

Trinamul leaders present at Demdima reiterated that the state's initiatives have finally helped the jobless workers of the Duncans Group. The Centre had earlier made promises but could not reopen a single garden, the leaders said.

"One more garden of Duncans has reopened and we hope the remaining two gardens will reopen in a few months. We are also trying to facilitate reopening of the Madhu and Bundapani estates. The state has cancelled the land leases of these gardens," said Mohan Sharma, president Cha Bagan Trinamul Mazdoor Union, over phone from Calcutta.