Pending wages: Tea garden workers block NH-17

Jalpaiguri: Hundreds of tea garden workers blocked National Highway 17 from noon on Wednesday, demanding pending wages and the state-mandated Puja bonus, severely disrupting road communication between Siliguri and the Dooars via Mina Mor, Odalabari and Sevoke.

The Bagrakote Tea Garden, under Malbazar Block, employs 1,460 workers. The state government has directed that the Puja bonus be paid at 20 per cent but the management offered only 10 per cent to 5 per cent before Puja and 5 per cent after. Protesting worker Purnima Tamang said: “We were ready to accept the full 10 per cen bonus if paid entirely before Puja, along with four pending months of wages. But the management refused, so we blocked the highway. The protest will continue if our demands are not met.”

From noon, several hundred workers began the blockade at Mina Mor, stranding vehicles in both directions. Drivers from Siliguri and Dooars were forced to use a diversion via Gozaldoba. Paban Pradhan, another worker, noted that the garden’s employees, who also have two months of pending wages, joined the protest. Despite police presence, the blockade persisted for nearly three hours, ending at 3 pm after assurances from authorities. The garden management declined to comment.

Meanwhile, at Dhoranipur Tea Garden in Banarhat, management announced an 18 per cent Puja bonus in three installments, instead of the mandated 20 per cent, prompting workers to stage a protest. The garden employs 360 workers.