2,300 left jobless as 2 Jalpaiguri tea gardens shut down

Darjeeling: Two tea gardens in the Jalpaiguri district have been shut down with the management of both the gardens putting up work suspension notices thereby rendering 2,300 workers jobless.

Sailyee Tea Estate in the Malbazar block and Hilla Tea Estate in the Nagrakata block have been shut down.

The management of Sailyee Tea Estate have alleged that there is a lack of work culture among the workers and the environment is not conducive for running the garden hence they put up the work suspension notice late on Sunday night. The management of Hilla Tea Estate have blamed workers' unrest for the closure.

Differences had cropped up between the workers and the Management of Sailyee Tea Estate over alleged non payment of dues. In the past, the garden had witnessed a similar lock out in December 2015. Around 1,500 workers of the garden were rendered jobless then.

Rajen Oraon, trade union leader said the management of the Sailyee Tea Estate has left workers of the garden in the dark after putting up the work suspension notice.

"They have been constantly instigating unrest among the workers" alleged Oraon.

District Labour Commisioner Partha Biswas has cal- led for a tripartite meeting for the Sailyee Tea Estate on January 12 and for Hilla on January 15.