Labour department to hold meetings to resolve tea garden issues of North Bengal

MP, 31 Oct 2023, Alipurduar: The Labour department has scheduled meetings from November 1 to address the resumption of normal operations in all the closed and inactive tea gardens in the Hills, Terai and Dooars regions, with a particular focus on the bonus issue.

In Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, and Darjeeling districts, complications arose in several gardens just before Durga Puja, leading to the temporary halt of operations. 

To address these issues, the Labour department will initiate meetings. A meeting will take place on November 1 in Dooars Kanya, Alipurduar, addressing the issue of the closed Turturi and Dimdima tea gardens with bonus-related complications. 

On November 2, another meeting is scheduled to be held at Sramik Bhawan in Dagapur, Siliguri, focusing on the closures of Dalmore, Dalsingpara, and Raimatang tea gardens. The Labour department has directed the owners of five tea gardens to attend these tripartite meetings. 

Robin Rai, the General Secretary of Trinamool Cha Bagan Sramik Union (TCBSU), stated: “We have full confidence that the current issues pertaining to the five tea gardens of Alipurduar will be resolved through the tripartite meeting. T

ens of thousands of worker families in these estates have expressed concern and face uncertainty since Durga Puja. We believe that the tea garden authorities will address the demands of our workers.” 

Birendra Bara Oraon, the state president of Trinamool Cha Bagan Sramik Union (TCBSU), stated: “We are committed to ensuring that no tea garden remains closed. We will swiftly normalise all gardens. 

Currently, Samsing and Bamondanga in Jalpaiguri district, as well as Rangmook Ceder, Peshok, Ragerung, Nagri, Moonda Kotee, Ambootia, Pandam, Samrik, and Chungthang tea estates in Darjeeling hills are facing closure. 

Just before the Puja in Darjeeling hills, five gardens were shut down due to bonus issues, while the remaining five have been non-operational for an extended period.” 

Partha Pratima Chakraborty, Joint Labor Commissioner for the North Bengal Zone in the Labour department, stated: “We will act swiftly and remain hopeful that the garden’s complications will be resolved.” 

Courtesy & source: Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/labour-department-to-hold-meetings-to-resolve-tea-garden-issues-of-north-bengal-538678