TMC trade union to launch ‘Cha Shramik Ekta Yatra’ today in Dooars

Darjeeling: The TMN Tea Trade Union has alleged that the Union government has switched onto “denial mode” regarding tea garden workers.

Concentrating on the 300 odd tea gardens in North Bengal, employing a workforce of around 3 lakh, the Trinamool Congress Cha Bagan Shramik Union, has lined up a “Cha Shramik Ekta Yatra.” The yatra will commence on February 19 and culminate in a public meeting at Banarhat on March 1.

With Lok Sabha elections round the corner, it is an effort to consolidate the TMC support base and also test the ground, feel political Pundits. Talking to media persons in Siliguri on Sunday, Ritabrata Banerjee, state president, INTTUC stated: “The Union government is in denial mode regarding the tea gardens and the tea garden workers. The march is against this and to bring to the fore what the state has done for the tea garden workers.”

The march will pass through different tea gardens in Alipurduar district for 6 days and in Jalpaiguri for 5 days. “The walk will be flagged off from Sankosh Tea Garden on February 19 at 9 am. The walk will end at Anandapur Tea Garden in Jalpaiguri on February 29. “The culmination programme will be held at Banarhat with a public meeting on March 1 from where the future programmes will be announced,” added Banerjee. The next phase would be a similar march through tea gardens in Terai with 80 tea gardens. 25 leaders and supporters will be walking everyday with tea garden workers and local leaders joining in. The march will cover around 100 tea gardens in Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri district. “The state government has always stood by the workers and worked for their welfare. Along with land right documents, houses for workers, 52 primary health centers with ambulances and 96 creches will soon become operational in the tea belt. Many from the tea belts will also get jobs in the health centers and creches,” stated Banerjee.

On the other hand, except empty promises the Union government has done nothing for tea workers, alleged Banerjee. He stated that the Union government had assured to open closed tea gardens as well as provide Rs 1000 crore special package for the tea garden workers. “Nothing translated into action. Instead the workers are being robbed off statutory benefits, including provident fund and gratuity. The Centre does not even provide data on PF in an attempt to save defaulting tea gardens,” alleged Banerjee.