Peshok tea estate reopens, GTA forms committee to open closed gardens

In the agreement everything including the dues and liabilities of the laborers along with the future plans has been included

EOI, DARJEELING, FEBRUARY 22, 2024 : The Peshok tea garden that was closed for over four months was reopened on Thursday by the management following fruitful negotiations, bringing relief to the workers and their families. The garden was closed from October 15,2023, following a dispute with the bank regarding finances.
The decision to reopen it was taken recently in a tripartite meeting between the West Bengal Labour Department, trade unions and the new management.

“Peshok tea garden which was closed reopened after a puja ritual was held today. An agreement was concluded between the new management, Anjali Traders. in our office between the different trade unions and them. 

In the agreement everything including the dues and liabilities of the laborers along with the future plans has been included,” Darjeeling Deputy Labour Commissioner, B.Mandal said.“I would not like to comment on the way the earlier management had run this teagarden but would like to say that the new management should fulfill the promises they have made in the agreement which can only ensure that the garden will run. 

The workers and the leaders should also move forward looking at the situation of the teagarden in the hills and try to overcome the different hindrances that are there and work along with the management,” he said. 

All the trade unions in the hills had unitedly raised the voice for reopening of this tea garden after which this had happened. A seven-member committee has been formed to help in reopening of the teagardens in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration area and they are working for it. 

They are also working for the FAWLOI scheme which will now start in five of the closed tea gardens,” Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha trade union leader, J.B. Tamang said. Under the FOWLOI (Financial Assistance to Workers in Locked Out industries) scheme in West Bengal, some financial help is provided to workers who are out of employment because of prolonged lock-out or suspension of work. 

The tea gardens that are closed in the GTA area include Rangmook-Cedars, Munda Kothi, Nagri, Chungthung, Dhotrey, Panighata, Ambootia and a few others