Hills: Operations at Orange Valley Tea Estate resume, Kanchenview to reopen from April 15

DARJEELING: While Orange Valley Tea Estate that was facing a work suspension resumed operations from Thursday, Kanchenview Tea Estate is all set to reopen from April 15.

"Under the initiative of Labour Minister Becharam Manna, many closed tea estates in North Bengal are reopening. There are 9 more tea estates that remain closed," stated Mohammad Rizwan, Additional Labour Commissioner, North Bengal Zone.

Two separate meetings between the management, trade union representatives chaired by the Additional Labour Commissioner, resolved the impasse, paving way for the opening of the two gardens located in the Darjeeling sub division.

Orange Valley Tea Estate located in Pulbazar block of the Darjeeling sub division had been facing a work suspension since March 29.

The talks held on Wednesday at the Shramik Bhawan in Siliguri resolved to resume operations from Thursday.

The meeting further resolved that the charter of demands submitted by the workers shall be discussed at bipartite level talks initially.

If not resolved the Assistant Labour Commissioner, Darjeeling will take up the issue and if necessary the Additional Labour Commissioner.

Extra leaf price has also been fixed at Rs. 12 from April 1 to May 31; Rs. 8 from 1st June to September 15 and Rs. 10 from September 16 till plucking continues.

In another meeting between the Additional Labour Commissioner ; Additional District Magistrate (LR;) Management of Kanchenview Tea Estate; Representatives of trade unions and Rungneet Gaon Sudhar Sammelan, Darjeeling it was decided that operations of the closed garden would resume from April 15.

The garden located on the brink of the Darjeeling town has been shut since October 6, 2021 over various issues.

It was resolved that the Management will soon construct a bungalow and an office. The bungalow and office had been razed to the ground in a fire on November 18, 2021. The garden has 99 permanent workers.