GJM appeals to PM for rollback of order to keep tea gardens open

Darjeeling: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rollback the order to keep the tea industry (tea gardens) open during the lockdown. Incidentally, a recent addendum to the earlier Central lockdown order exempting the tea industry had drawn flak from the operating tea trade unions in Bengal. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had then announced that the tea gardens would not open as they were highly vulnerable. Later she announced that the Union government was constantly pressurising the state to open up the tea industry. Finally, the state government announced that the tea gardens would function with 25% of the workforce so that social distancing can be maintained.

"During the lockdown period if a worker is infected with COVID-19, tea garden owners should pay Rs 2 lakh as a medical insurance amount and if the person dies because of the infection, the company should pay Rs 10 lakh ex gratia. The workers have to understand that the tea gardens are open because of the Union government exempting the tea industry from the lockdown. They have been exerting constant pressure on the state government to open up the tea gardens. We appeal to the Union government to reconsider their decision," said Binay Tamang, president, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha. The GJM has further demanded that protective gears have to be provided for all the workers including masks, gloves and sanitisers, along with increase in wages for those working during the lockdown period.

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