GTA chief writes to CM, seeks ex-gratia for closed tea gardens workers

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 6 Oct 2024, Darjeeling: Amid the ongoing crisis in the Darjeeling tea industry revolving around the bonus issue, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Chief Anit Thapa wrote a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, requesting for ex-gratia payments for workers of closed tea gardens in the GTA area (Darjeeling Hills and Kalimpong) on the lines of Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri. 

Meanwhile, the tea trade unions have decided to defer agitation programmes till Kolkata talks on bonus, slated for November 6. 

The Parvatya Shramik Sanghatan Sammanaya Mach (PSSSM, a conglomeration of all operating tea garden workers unions of the Darjeeling Hills) has decided to attend the talks in Kolkata called by the Government of West Bengal on November 6 on the Hill tea garden bonus issue. 

Normalcy will be restored in the tea gardens before the talks with the agitation programmes including cease work and embargo on tea despatch, being deferred till the talks. 

Thapa in a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, wrote that ex-gratia payments were recently granted to the workers of closed tea gardens in the districts of Alipurduar and Jalpiguri. 

This timely intervention of the state government has provided a much required lifeline to the thousands of families affected owing to the closure of the gardens. 

The ex-gratia not only provided financial relief but also renewed a sense of dignity and security among the workers, stated the letter. 

“We on behalf of the worker families from the closed tea gardens of the GTA region, humbly request similar ex-gratia package to be extended to the workers of the closed tea gardens in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. 

Considering the unique topography and climate condition of the Darjeeling and Kalimpong regions, coupled with the historical significance of the tea industry here, a targeted intervention is essential to prevent further degradation of the socio-economic fabric. We are confident that the government will extend its compassionate hand to these vulnerable workers much like they did in Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri,” stated the letter. 

Meanwhile, PSSM along with other organisations agitating for a 20 per cent bonus for tea garden workers of Darjeeling, have decided to attend Calcutta bonus talks on November 6. Incidentally, after multiple rounds of talks between the management, trade unions had failed, the government had issued an advisory for a 16 per cent bonus. 

However, the trade unions turned down the advisory continuing with the 20 per cent demand along with an agitation. The Government of West Bengal has now called for a meeting on November 6. 

“We will attend the meeting with a mandate from 50,000 tea garden workers of the Hills demanding a 20 per cent bonus. Till then we will defer the cease work with the workers joining work and the embargo on transportation of made tea, lifted. 

We will also not gherao the labour office at Dagapur in Siliguri on October 7. The future course of action and agitation will depend on the outcome of November 6 talks.” 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/gta-chief-writes-to-cm-seeks-ex-gratia-for-closed-tea-gardens-workers-582310