Cinchona workers want land documents, as promised before the polls

YOWAN MOTHAY, EOI, KALIMPONG, NOVEMBER 25, 21 : The United Forum of Trade Unions, trade union of Cinchona plantation workers, met with Kalimpong MLA Ruden Sada Lepcha on Thursday to discuss the 'Parcha Patta’ (land document) issue and various other problems of workers. 

A team led by Union president L.M. Sharma in a meeting with the MLA said the cinchona plantation workers should get the land document and urged him to take initiative in this regard. 

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Sharma said: “In the time of election it was promised that the workers would get their land documents.” 

The MLA had promised to meet the Chief Minister of West Bengal with the issue on December 10. Between December 5 and December 10, the Forum would provide all the land documents to the MLA to that he could take the issue to the right place. 

Sharma said cinchona workers had been using chinchona land for more than 80 years. 

“They don't just have land documents. Cinchona workers are being deprived of their rights and many governmental benefits due to lack of land document. As this is a land under Chinchona Directorate, the director can easily issue a land document if he so desires.” 

However, Sharma said that the forum met with the MLA as the director didn't work in this issue.