Amid stir by workers, Kanchen View Tea Estate reopens

Amitava Banerjee | MP | 16 April 2022  | DARJEELING: Work resumed at the Kanchen View Tea Estate in Darjeeling on Friday. 

A section of the workforce launched an agitation along with a relay hunger strike demanding that the garden be reopened only after all their demands are met. Hamro Party president Ajoy Edwards and other key leaders joined the hunger strike. 

On April 7th, a meeting between the Additional Labour Commissioner ; Additional District Magistrate (LR;) Management of Kanchen View Tea Estate; representatives of trade unions and Rungneet Gaon Sudhar Sammelan, had resolved to resume operations of the closed garden from April 15. 

The garden located on the outskirts of the Darjeeling town had been shut since October 6, 2021 over various issues. 

On Friday, around 15 odd workers turned up for work while others agitated demanding that the garden be shut till the management agreed to a 9 point charter of demands. They launched a relay hunger strike with the demand. 

"The management has been playing foul. The government has allowed tea garden to use 15 per cent of the garden, that too non-plantation area for tea tourism. The management however are using 35 per cent of the plantation, including areas under plantation. 

They have uprooted tea bushes also. We request the government to cancel the lease and take back the garden from the present owners. We will continue the fast till the garden is not closed," stated Ajoy Edwards, president Hamro Party. 

"The management has been closing the garden at a drop of a hat. They don't want to continue with tea plantation and want to start tea tourism. They have defaulted provident fund and pension of the workers", alleged Roshan Tamang, president of local community association. 

"We opened the garden as per the agreement with operating trade unions. It was also decided that a review meeting would take place after a month to settle other issues. The priority was opening up the garden," stated Atul Rana, assistant manager. 

The garden with around 99 workers is run by Agarwala Group Enterprise..

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/amid-stir-by-workers-kanchen-view-tea-estate-reopens-474573