Lower Fagu Tea Garden Closes Amidst Bonus Dispute and Worker Unrest

KalimNews, Kolkata, September 21, 2025 : Lower Fagu Tea Garden, located in Gorubathan, Kalimpong district, has been forced to shut down due to an unresolved dispute over the disbursement of a 20% bonus to its workers for the financial year 2024-2025. Despite an advisory issued by the West Bengal government in August, which mandated the payment by September 15, 2025, the management has not honored the directive, leading to significant worker unrest and disruptions at the garden.

The crisis deepened after the Hill Plantations Employees' Union, affiliated with the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), formally filed a complaint with the Assistant Labour Commissioner regarding the non-payment of bonuses. The union highlighted that the state government's advisory order, issued on August 22, 2025, clearly instructed the management to disburse the bonus at the rate of 20%. However, despite repeated bipartite meetings between management and workers' representatives, the management failed to make any payments, prompting the workers to stage protests, including "gate meetings" and "gherao" of the management.

In response to the workers' actions, the management of Subarnapur Tea Estate Pvt. Ltd., which owns the Lower Fagu Tea Garden, issued a notice suspending operations at the garden. The management expressed serious concern over the conduct of the workers, particularly an incident on the morning of September 18, 2025, when the garden’s manager was gheraoed, subjected to verbal abuse, and confined to the factory premises for several hours. According to the management, the workers also threatened violence, incited property damage, and obstructed the functioning of the estate. The manager was reportedly kept under lock and key without food for nearly 12 hours, creating an atmosphere of fear and lawlessness.

The tea garden, which produces pure Dooars CTC tea, has long faced financial difficulties. Despite being located in Kalimpong district, the garden does not carry the Darjeeling logo, which has further compounded its economic challenges. The tea garden has been performing poorly in recent years, with a production of only 1.4 lakh kg of made tea in the previous year, fetching a revenue of around Rs. 2.57 crore. As a result, the workers were paid a reduced bonus for the years 2022-2023 (15%) and 2023-2024 (11%). In light of this financial crunch, the management stated its inability to pay the bonus for 2024-2025 and informed the workers about the same.

The situation escalated further when, on the evening of September 18, the manager was rescued by the police after being confined by the workers. He was then escorted to the office of the Block Development Officer (BDO) in Gorubathan, where a meeting was held regarding the bonus payment. However, the meeting ended inconclusively, with another round of discussions scheduled for September 19, 2025. Despite these efforts, the workers went on strike on the 19th, preventing not only the tea garden’s staff from working but also blocking domestic help, gardeners, and attendants from attending to their duties at the manager's bungalow.

The strike has left the managerial staff in a state of fear, with increasing concerns about personal safety and the potential for violence. During the period of confinement, workers reportedly damaged company property and personal belongings of the management. In response to the escalating tensions, the management, citing the safety of its personnel and the worsening law and order situation, announced the suspension of operations and the withdrawal of its managerial staff from the garden.

While the tea garden’s operations have been suspended, emergency services, including water, electricity, and medical supplies, will remain functional. The management has also informed various authorities, including the District Magistrate of Kalimpong, the Superintendent of Police, the Block Development Officer, and the Deputy Labour Commissioner, about the situation. 

A joint meeting convened by the Joint Labour Commissioner of Kalimpong is scheduled for September 21, 2025, in hopes of resolving the dispute and bringing an end to the ongoing unrest.

The future of Lower Fagu Tea Garden remains uncertain, as both the workers and the management brace for further discussions, but with no immediate resolution in sight.