TMC to set up federation to look after tea industry workers

The federation will be looked after by veteran trade union leader and state power minister Sobhandeb Chatterjee and Aroop Biswas. On August 20, the federation will be set up. The meeting of the tea directorate will be held on August 12.

It may be recalled that the state government is looking after the workers of closed tea gardens. They are being given rice at Rs 2 per kilogram and medical teams are regularly sent to examine their health. Arrangements have been made to give education to their children. Despite several requests by the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Centre had not taken any step to reopen the closed tea gardens.

Mamata Banerjee on Saturday reiterated that the party would not tolerate extortion and corruption and allegations against leaders and workers would be looked into seriously. Dilip Yadav, a youth leader of the party was expelled on Saturday after allegations of extortion against him was proved.

“The party has a clean image and I am not going to tolerate any corruption and everyone should remember that no one is above the party. Stringent action will be taken if the charges against any one is proved,” she said.

Banerjee has asked all the MPs to be present at the next meeting of the party. It may be recalled that Mamata Banerjee decided to hold meetings on the first Saturday of every month to review functioning of the party. After coming to power for the second time she has made it very clear that the party will not tolerate the highhandedness of any worker and leader and they will have to build intense contact will people. She has instructed all the mayors of corporation and chairmen of the municipalities to take steps to stop the spread of dengue. She has asked the leaders to mobilise the workers and launch awareness drives and ensure that the health workers of the civic bodies are carrying out their duties properly.

Meanwhile, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) held an administrative meeting in Borough I in North Kolkata. The meeting was presided over by member, mayor in council (Health) Atin Ghosh. The councillors of all the nine wards along with the engineers of building and solid waste departments were present in the meeting. 

Ghosh reviewed the performance of the staff of the vector control wing of every ward and asked them to intensify the drive. The civic authorities have issued notice on some house owners asking them to clear the overhead tanks and underground reservoirs immediately.

Mamata also sent out a strong message to a section of TMC workers who are allegedly involved in ‘syndicate’ business and said she would take stern action against them. Syndicate is a racket in which people enjoying political patronage force contractors into buying inferior building materials from them at a premium.

“Mamata Banerjee today (Saturday) stressed that she will take stern action against those who are involved in syndicates. She said she had already taken some action and will take more steps whenever she receives such complaints,” a senior TMC leader who was present at the meeting said.