North Bengal Tea Garden Workers

The cash ban has hit the livelihood of tea garden workers in north Bengal. Their salaries were paid in cash earlier, but after the currency ban, the centre's labour department has insisted that bank accounts be opened for tea garden workers.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today blamed the Centre's "indifference" for the plight of tea gardens of north Bengal, most of which are at the brink of closure while their workers are living in penury.

In a move that could mean relief for 25,000 tea workers in north Bengal, the head of the Duncans Group, GP Goenka, met chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday and promised to reopen 14 tea gardens that had become non-functional since April. No time frame has been given, but Duncans will pay all dues and even open public kitchens for workers suffer...

By January, when activity ceases at the tea gardens in north Bengal, 50-year-old Kunji Lohar will be among the thousands of workers who will have no income to live on.

At least six people have died in north Bengal's Bagrakote tea plantation since October, the government says. But since the tea garden went into limbo in April - not abandoned, not shut down and yet not functioning - many more have died, workers say.

The cash ban has hit the livelihood of tea garden workers in north Bengal. Their salaries were paid in cash earlier, but after the currency ban, the centre's labour department has insisted that bank accounts be opened for tea garden workers.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today blamed the Centre's "indifference" for the plight of tea gardens of north Bengal, most of which are at the brink of closure while their workers are living in penury.

In a move that could mean relief for 25,000 tea workers in north Bengal, the head of the Duncans Group, GP Goenka, met chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday and promised to reopen 14 tea gardens that had become non-functional since April. No time frame has been given, but Duncans will pay all dues and even open public kitchens for workers suffer...

By January, when activity ceases at the tea gardens in north Bengal, 50-year-old Kunji Lohar will be among the thousands of workers who will have no income to live on.

At least six people have died in north Bengal's Bagrakote tea plantation since October, the government says. But since the tea garden went into limbo in April - not abandoned, not shut down and yet not functioning - many more have died, workers say.