Implement the SOP for abandoned tea gardens: workers union appeal to WB govt

Paschim Banga Cha Majoor Samity (PBCMS). File
| Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Observing that the newly notified standard operating procedure(SOP) by the West Bengal government holds potential for resolving issues in abandoned gardens, the Paschim Banga Cha Majoor Samity (PBCMS) on Monday (December 9, 2024) called the State government to implement its own SOP.

The government came up with an SOP on abandoned gardens in November this year where certain conditions including clearance of dues for workers has been fixed for companies before taking over the operations at abandoned gardens.

Also read:Tea garden workers in Bengal write to CM seeking legally binding wages

“All we want the government to do is to follow its own SOP,” Anuradha Talwar, the chief adviser to the tea garden union. The workers of PBCMS met the State Labour Commissioner and sought for implementation of the SOP. There are about 25 abandoned tea gardens in north Bengal, particularly in the Terai and Dooars region.

Kirsen Kharia, president of PBCMS, said that tea gardens appear picturesque from outside but there are plenty of issues relating to the plight of workers in the State. Mr. Kharia said that many garden operators run the garden in the tea plucking season and leave the workers at their own fate in season when the tea leaves are not plucked.

“Persistent wage delays in multiple gardens, coupled with the non-payment of wages have pushed workers into financial despair. Many retired workers and dependents are gratuity and statutory destitute, with tragic consequences such as hunger-related deaths in gardens like Madhu in Alipurduar district,” a press statement issued by PBCMS said.

The union representatives expressed their anger against a particular company that runs over a dozen of gardens in north Bengal and said that the condition of workers have only deteriorated after the management of the particular company took over.

The union raised grave concerns regarding the payment of provident fund and statutory benefits to the majority of retired tea garden workers. The PBCMS made a public list of PF contributions of 30 tea gardens of which only four gardens have deposited PF for workers till September 2024. There are about 200 tea gardens in north Bengal. 

“ Thousands of workers are suffering due to irregularities in the PF (provident fund) contributions, delay in claim processing and fraudulent practices,” the press statement said. The union representative said that there have been cases where PF of retired workers have been siphoned off by using false death certificates in the tea gardens of north Bengal.