DARJEELING, : A two-day dharna has been announced by Darjeeling Dooars Chia Sharmik Suraksha Samiti (DDCSSS) on Saturday and Sunday at Chowrasta here against the State government’sdecision to allow 30% of tea garden land to be diverted to purposes other than producing tea among other issues.
DDCSSS president Bandana Rai said, “We will not allow 30% of thetea garden lands to be given to anyone as these are all indigenousland.”
The other issues taken up by the DDCSSS are not agreeing to parja patta of only 5 decimal of land to be given to tea garden workers, 20%puja bonus for tea garden workers and implementation of minimum wages.
“We are trying to resolve some issues which can be done through theSupreme Court along with also holding such a program. We also plan tohold programs in rural areas to make people aware of these issues,”she said.
Rai said that the organisation decided to hold the program even though theyare yet to get permission to hold the program at Chowrasta afterrepeated attempts from the Darjeeling Municipality.
“Even if a lathi charge is done against us or we are arrested we willhold our program. We will hold the dharna from Saturday 11 am onwardstill Sunday. We will not disturb anyone,” said Rai while requestingthe tea garden workers to take part in the program.
On the other hand, the Joint Forum’s (JF) program of tea garden workersnot plucking first flush tea leaves against the State government’sdecision has started in many tea gardens in the hills. The Forum isalso making different demands which they have placed with the West Bengal Labour minister Maloy Ghatak on Wednesday at Kolkata.
Speaking about the other demands, JF member Sunil Rai said, “Only16% puja bonus was got for the year 2023-2024 by the tea gardenworkers even after an agitation and the workers had not agreed on it. The State government had said that a discussion would be held for the rest of the 4% bonus but till now it did not take place. We want thatthe remaining bonus should be given,” said Rai.
The other demands raised by the JF are similar to those raised by the DDCSSS.
“The minister has given us assurances that they will hold a dialoguesoon on these issues but we have given them 15 days' time and the teagarden management. If no meeting is called or any decision is donewithin that time we will start an agitation. We have also submittedmemorandums to the tea garden regarding it,” he added, speaking on thesidelines of a meeting with the tea garden workers at Rohini Teagarden today.