Appeal to reopen tea garden... Tea garden staff ready to forego 17-yr dues
TT, 15 April 2019, Alipurduar: Workers of the Dheklapara Tea Estate, an Alipurduar garden closed for much of the past 17 years, are ready to forego dues if a new entrepreneur reopens it.
The estate in the BirparaMadarihat block owes its 1100odd workers around Rs 1 crore, sources said. The workers want the state government to take the initiative.
The readiness to lose the money stems from grinding poverty. "The state should take initiative so that work resumes in the garden. We are in such distress that if some investor comes in and reopens it, we are ready forego our old dues," said Basant Tanti.
On August 2002, the management had left Dheklapara. In 2005, a new investor came and reopened the garden. He however, left after couple of months. Later, the garden went into liquidation because of dues to banks.
At Dheklapara, there were 602 permanent workers and 500-odd casual workers.
"The permanent workers have been receiving Rs 1,500 per month from the state under the FAWLOI (Financial Assistance to Workers of Locked Out Industries). But during these 17 years, many of them have crossed the age of 60 years. As per the rule, once a worker crosses this age, he or she is not entitled for this assistance. This has made the situation worse for the senior workers," pointed Tanti,
The estate in the BirparaMadarihat block owes its 1100odd workers around Rs 1 crore, sources said. The workers want the state government to take the initiative.
The readiness to lose the money stems from grinding poverty. "The state should take initiative so that work resumes in the garden. We are in such distress that if some investor comes in and reopens it, we are ready forego our old dues," said Basant Tanti.
On August 2002, the management had left Dheklapara. In 2005, a new investor came and reopened the garden. He however, left after couple of months. Later, the garden went into liquidation because of dues to banks.
At Dheklapara, there were 602 permanent workers and 500-odd casual workers.
"The permanent workers have been receiving Rs 1,500 per month from the state under the FAWLOI (Financial Assistance to Workers of Locked Out Industries). But during these 17 years, many of them have crossed the age of 60 years. As per the rule, once a worker crosses this age, he or she is not entitled for this assistance. This has made the situation worse for the senior workers," pointed Tanti,
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