Tea garden work suspended

VIVEK CHHETRI, TT, 20 Mar 2019, Darjeeling: The management of Risheehat tea garden near here declared "suspension of work" on Tuesday after the GNLF's trade union stopped plucking of first flush leaves.

The GNLF has resorted to the agitation demanding immediate payment of three months' wage dues to workers. The estate is located 15km from here.

While most of the 87 gardens growing Darjeeling Tea have made the payments, around 30 estates are yet to clear the dues.

Sandeep Mukherjee, the principal advisor to the Darjeeling Tea Association, said: "The Risheehat tea garden has declared suspension of work as majority of workers were not plucking green tea. The indiscipline was caused by one union, Himalayan Plantation Workers Union (HPWU)." The HPWU is the trade wing of the GNLF.

According to Mukherjee, the garden authorities had agreed to clear the dues soon.

"However, the union gheraoed management repre- sentatives on Monday and threatened to harm them physically. An undertaking they gave under duress is hereby withdrawn," said Mukherjee.

He said the decision to declare suspension of work was taken after taking into account the safety and security of the management executives and indiscipline of labourers..