Closed Hill tea gardens: State govt to hold meet on Oct 5

Darjeeling: The Labour minister and the Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal will convene a meeting with various stakeholders on October 5 at Nabanna, the state Secretariat in Howrah, over the impasse surrounding six tea gardens of the Darjeeling Hills under Lemongrass Organic Tea Estates Private Limited (LOTEPL).

Three of these gardens had recently closed down, sparking unrest among the workers. GTA chief executive Anit Thapa is scheduled to attend the meeting. The six gardens are under the Darjeeling Organic Tea Estates Private Limited (DOTEPL) but owing to financial complications, LOTEPL was running the gardens. Sources state that DOTEPL has written to LOTEPL to vacate the tea estates and return the physical possessions of the garden on “no due” basis after payment of all dues of workers, employees and electricity which have accrued during the period of possession by LOTEPL along with fixed assets of the tea gardens on a mutually agreed date, failing which legal action would be initiated.

The notice of the meeting by the Bengal Labour department states that UCO Bank as Corporate Creditor had moved NCLT at Kolkata for recovery of dues to them from DOTEPL, which had mortgaged lease of several tea gardens to different banks to secure various credit facilities. DOTEPL reportedly signed an agreement with LOTEPL to run these tea gardens and authorised LOTEPL to negotiate with UCO Bank to settle outstanding dues of DOTEPL by One Time Settlement. LOTEPL has since withdrawn from the operation of three tea gardens in Darjeeling district because of orders of NCLAT/NCLT and other bank loan issues.

“This has thrown the entire management of tea gardens in disarray affecting thousands of workers who are dependent on the tea gardens for their daily wages,” stated the meeting notice signed by Additional Chief Secretary, Labour department, Government of West Bengal. The six gardens are Ambotia, Moondakotee, Happy Valley, Chongtong, Mullootar and Nagri. While Mondakotee was closed down on September 25, Chongtong and Nagri were closed down on September 29 just before the festive season, thereby sparking unrest.

On Tuesday workers of the closed gardens protested in front of the Labour Office in Darjeeling demanding government intervention and reopening of the gardens.