Tea workers in West Bengal have called for the reopening of tea gardens, and said their protests will go on till August 9.
Kumargram (West Bengal), Aug 3 : Tea workers in West Bengal have called for the reopening of tea gardens, and said their protests will go on till August 9.
At least 300 tea workers under the banner of Dooars Tea Workers Union, a labour wing of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), participated in a procession at the tea-rich Kumargram area in Jalpaiguri District.
RSP leader Abani Roy said the protest that began on July 31, will go on tillugust 9.
Two years ago, poor production and low yields led to the closure of 16 tea estates in Jalpaiguri, leaving plantation workers with no income or work.
Investigations by the Supreme Court and tea workers' associations found that this had directly led to the deaths of many, leaving hundreds more unable to feed themselves.
A court inquiry recently found that at least 700 tea workers have died from diseases linked with malnutrition over the past year after the closure of tea estates, and hundreds more are still starving.
As a result of the deteriorating situation, hundreds of former tea workers are being forced to travel across the border to Bhutan every day to work in stone crushing and mineral factories.
Most earn less than two dollars a day in factories which they say are simply not enough to sustain a livelihood.
The fate of 30,000 workers is linked to these gardens, the managements of which, have piled up liabilities worth Rs. 237 crore in provident fund and bank dues.
These gardens have a locked up area of 11,449 hectares.In all aspects of tea, - - production, consumption and export, India has emerged a world leader. The country accounts for 31 percent of global tea production.
It is perhaps the only industry where India has retained its leadership over the last 150 years.
The total turnover of the Indian tea industry is around Rs. 10,000 crores. Since independence tea production has grown over 250 percent, while land area has just grown by 40 percent.
There has been a considerable increase in export too in the past few years. Total net foreign exchange earned per annum is around Rs. 1847 crores.
The labour intensive tea industry directly employs over 1.1 million workers and generates income for another 10 million people approximately. Women constitute 50 percent of the workforce.
Tea trading in the domestic market is done in two ways- Auction and Private Selling. Market Reports are received from the six major auction centres in India, namely, Kolkata , Guwahati, Siliguri, Cochin, Coonoor, Coimbatore and N.I. teauction.com Bulk trading is done through the auctions held in these centres.
ANI