DM summons management of 10 Darjeeling tea estates

Anit Thapa had written to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to cancel the lease of the 10 gardens. 

Amitava Banerjee  |  MP  | 28 Aug 2022 |  Darjeeling: With the workers of 10 tea estates under Darjeeling Organic Tea Estates Pvt. Ltd (DOTEPL) formerly the Bansal Group, on an agitation path for non-payment of wages and salary for the past two months, the Darjeeling District Magistrate has shot a letter to the management of the company to appear for a hearing on September 2. 

Incidentally, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Chief Executive member Anit Thapa had written to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to cancel the lease of the 10 gardens. 

The DM's letter addressed to Acting Chairman & Director, DOTEPL along with the CEO of the company asked them to "personally appear on 02.09.22 at 12:30 pm at District Magistrate Office, Darjeeling to explain why lease determination process may not be initiated for the Tea Gardens under your management (DOTEPL)…" 

The letter stated that it has come to the notice of the district administration that wages of labourers working in the Tea Gardens under DOTEPL has not been paid for a considerable period of time. "It is reported that wages/salary to the tune of Rs. 3,50,82,290 is pending to be disbursed till date." 

Workers of these gardens have been agitating in front of the District Magistrate's office in Darjeeling since August 22. They have threatened to put up road blockades in the Hills if the matter is not resolved. Similar problem cropped up in July this year with non-payment of wages. 

The agitation was lifted with the payment of dues then. The gardens under the DOTEPL include Happy Valley, Ambootia, Monteviot, Magarjung, Moonda-Bansghari, Rongmook Cedar, Chongtong, Alubari, Rangaroon and Pandam Tea Estates.

http://www.millenniumpost.in/nation/darjeeling-dm-summons-management-of-10-tea-estates-491049