Tea garden owner absconds without paying bonus

MP, 10 Nov 2023, Siliguri: The owner of Tirhana tea garden in Bagdogra under Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad is allegedly absconding without paying the bonus of tea garden workers. 

The workers staged a protest in front of the tea garden on Friday. Nirjan Dey, the district president of INTTUC (trade union of the TMC) said: “We are there with the workers. We have informed the Labour minister and secretary about the issue. We will continue the protest on behalf of the workers.” 

On November 2, the tea garden workers held a protest in front of the garden manager’s office demanding a bonus. Thereafter, a meeting was held and the garden owner decided to give an 18 per cent bonus to the workers. However, the assured bonus was not paid by the management. 

They were supposed to pay the amount on Thursday night. Accordingly, the workers gathered at the office. There the garden authorities gave them in writing that they will release the money on Friday. 

However, when the workers reached the garden office in the morning they got to know that the owner was absconding.