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.