Saili Tea Garden in Jalpaiguri shut down

Jalpaiguri: The Saili Tea Garden in Malbazar, Jalpaiguri was closed down with the workers demanding due wages. On Sunday night, the owner abandoned the garden after sending notices regarding the closure of the garden closure to different offices.

As soon as this came to the fore, protests broke out. The management owes two fortnightly wages. The due amount was scheduled to be disbursed on Monday. However, before that, a notice of suspension of work was put up and the Management abandoned the garden.

Meanwhile, the assistant labour commissioner of Malbazar held a meeting with the tea plantation workers’ union on Monday. The sudden closure has left 45 to 50 Madhyamik examinees in a lurch. Malbazar police station arranged for transportation for these students to their examination venues. Inspector-in-Charge Samir Tamang said: “The police will make all necessary arrangements for transportation for the Madhyamik examinees on days of examinations.”

The garden had closed down in October last year over Puja bonus issues. However, the problem was resolved and the garden had reopened after a few days. The sudden closure will affect the 1500 tea workers of the garden.

Arjun Chhetri, trade union leader affiliated to the INTTUC stated: “Two fortnight’s wages are due. The workers had put up the demand for the payment of dues. The owner had assured that the due would be paid in two installments, one on February 5 and the other on February 7. Plucking is not done in winters. Pruning work in the garden is also over. Hence the Management has abandoned the garden. This is not the first time. It has become a common practice during

lean season.”

Pranab Kumar Das, Assistant Labor Commissioner of Malbazar said that all the tea worker trade unions of the garden have been called inorder to find out the exact issue. He said that the labour department will talk to the owner to open the garden immediately.