After 20 months, Toorsa tea garden to reopen on Wednesday

Located in Kalchini block of Alipurduar district, the estate had closed on October 2019, leaving around 800 workers jobless

On Tuesday, the decision to reopen it was made at a tripartite meeting at the office of the additional labour commissioner in Siliguri.: File picture

TT Correspondent   |   Alipurduar   |   02.06.21: The gates of the Toorsa tea estate will reopen on Wednesday after 20 months.

Located in Kalchini block of Alipurduar district, the garden had closed on October 2019, leaving around 800 workers jobless. On Tuesday, the decision to reopen it was made at a tripartite meeting at the office of the additional labour commissioner in Siliguri.

Additional commissioner Md Rizwan, the garden’s general manager and tea workers’ union leaders attended the three-hour-long meeting.

“At the meeting, it was decided that Toorsa tea estate will reopen from Wednesday. Workers’ wages and staff salary will be paid by June 5. Due bonus will be cleared by July 31,” said Rizwan.

According to garden sources, the garden had closed over a dispute on bonus payment for 2018-19 between trade unions and the garden management. The management had declared 8.33 per cent bonus but unions had wanted more. On Tuesday’s meeting, bonus was fixed at 12 per cent.

 “Initially, it has been decided that wages of a fortnight would be paid to workers while salary of 20 days would be paid to the staff. It is good that the meeting has turned fruitful. The workers were jobless for months,” said a senior trade union leader.