6 tea gardens reopen in the Hills

Amitava Banerjee | MP | 29 Nov 2022 | Darjeeling: About 6 closed tea gardens reopened in the Darjeeling Hills on Monday following a meeting between the Management and operating tea gardens. 

The Management of 10 tea gardens under the Darjeeling Organic Tea Estates Pvt. Ltd (DOTEPL,) formerly popular as the Bansal Group had defaulted wages, salary, bonus, PF, gratuity of the workers and have been operating erratically. 

They have been shut down, time and again this year for nonpayment. Since October the gardens were closed down for defaulting bonus payments along with wages and salaries. 

Among the 10 closed gardens, 6 has been taken over by Lemongrass Tea Estates Pvt. Ltd. The 6 include Happy Valley, Ambotia, Moondakotee/ Nagri, Chongtong, Magarjung and Monteviot tea estates. 

The gardens opened from Monday. "There was a meeting convened by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration attended by the Management and representatives of all the operating trade unions. 

The meeting had resolved to reopen the gardens from November 28" stated KB Tamang, President of Hill Terai Dooars Plantation Workers Union affiliated to the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha. In the meeting, it was resolved that the wages and salaries payable till 23rd October 2022 will be paid in three installments by November 30, December 10 and December 20. Current PF will be paid and PF dues will be disbursed as per Labour department directives. 

The encroached area of the estates illegally occupied since January 1, 2022 would be vacated and the concerned trade unions would cooperate in removing the encroachments. Gratuity will be paid in phase wise manner. 

Arrears of wages and salary will be paid in 2 equal installments in April 2023 and July 2023. 

Courtesy &  Source- Millenium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/6-tea-gardens-reopen-in-the-hills-500524