Strike called by several trade unions in North Bengal has inflicted huge monetary and crop losses on tea growers in the Dooars and Terai region

Kolkata,(PTI): The just-concluded strike called by several trade unions in North Bengal has inflicted huge monetary and crop losses on tea growers in the Dooars and Terai region of the state.
According to estimates by the Indian Tea Association (ITA), the apex body of planters, the gardens suffered an aggregate loss of Rs 25 crore per day.
The strike, called by an adivasi trade union and backed by CITU and INTUC in support of the demand for higher daily wages, took place for nearly five days.
An ITA official told PTI that since the weather this year was favourable, the estimated crop loss in the region was 1.2 million kilograms on account of non-plucking of tea.
He said the effect of the strike would be felt for nearly a month and would cause further monetary loss.
The ITA said that trade unions in the Dooars and Terai regions were demanding a daily wage of Rs 250 per day, which came down to Rs 130 after negotiations.
The official said paying them at a higher rate than the Rs 90 per day earned by workers of the Darjeeling tea gardens was not possible, since the realisation of Dooars and Terai tea was much lower than compared to the hills.