DARJEELING, Even though the hills returned back to normalcy after the 12-hour
strike called by trade unions on Monday, Mirik remained closed even on Tuesday
with the tea garden workers there observing a bandh there for the same demand
of 20 per cent Puja bonus.
The tea
garden workers at Mirik had called an indefinite bandh till their demands were
not met but today’s development at Shramik Bhawan at Siliguri where the fifth
round of tripartite meeting also failed to address their demands. They have
decided to join the show of strength to be held at Darjeeling on Wednesday.
Following
the call of the strike at Mirik late last night by the tea garden workers,
shops there were closed today along with the few vehicles that were seen
running in the morning stopped movement after picketing and road blockade was
done by the workers.
Most part
of the day saw tea garden workers of different tea gardens at Mirik conducting
a road blockade at Manju Fatak where they were also heard shouting slogans for
their demands. The workers there also claimed that their program was not being
done under the banner of any political party.
One tea
garden worker said, “We were forced to take this action as we work so hard in
the gardens with the owners also earning profit but every time the pujas come,
we have to go through this. We should get our rights and deserve the puja
bonus. With our demands not being met we were forced to come out in the
streets.”
Meanwhile,
the Labour department on Tuesday issued an advisory of 16 per cent Puja bonus
in the tripartite meeting in Siliguri. The eight trade unions that were present
have not agreed to it and decided to hold a show of strength at Darjeeling and
decide their future course of action. They are maintaining that their fight now
is not only with the management of the tea gardens but also the State
government for taking out such an advisory.
