Alipurduar, Sept. 14 -- Even before the annual tea bonus season begins, the BJP has stepped up pressure on tea garden managements, demanding a 20 per cent bonus for workers across North Bengal and urging gardens facing financial difficulties to inform the Labour Department immediately.
Alipurduar MP and BJP tea workers' leader Manoj Tigga said every tea garden management must arrange payment of the 20 per cent bonus in accordance with the government's directive.
"If any garden management is unable to pay the bonus within the stipulated time due to financial difficulties, it should not conceal the matter. The Labour Department must be informed immediately so that the state government can be notified," Tigga said. He said gardens unable to pay the bonus by October 5 must first inform the Labour Department and, if necessary, hold discussions with the trade unions concerned to find a solution.
"If there are any problems, they can be resolved through discussion. But workers being deprived of their rightful dues in violation of the government's directive will not be accepted. The bonus money must reach the workers at least 15 days before Puja," he said.
Tigga also criticised the Trinamool Congress government over last year's bonus payments. "Last year, the Trinamool Congress government issued a similar advisory. However, tea garden workers had a bitter experience. Many gardens did not comply with the directive. Although we sought a list of those gardens from the Labour Department, it was not provided to us. But that will not happen this time," he said.
Bonus discussions have already intensified across North Bengal's tea belt, with workers, trade unions and political parties closely monitoring whether gardens will implement the 20 per cent rate.
According to tea industry sources, around 3-4 lakh workers are directly employed in nearly 300 established tea gardens from Darjeeling to Alipurduar.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.