Tea Workers – Distressed in the Organized Industry in North Bengal

Many workers died of starvation since January 2014 in the tea gardens in the Dooars (North Bengal), several of which are closed or sick. There is disagreement on the number of gardens, on how many workers are affected or on the cause of the deaths. The administration and even some trade unions, deny starvation, but acknowledge malnutrition. Tea is one of the oldest industries in India and does have some problems of obsolescence. But production, domestic consumption and auction prices of tea in India have all steadily increased. Ironically tea workers are unionized, get wages through tripartite collective bargaining and various benefits under the Plantation Labor Act, 1951. Worker distress is not confined to closed gardens alone, but extends to intermittently open and running gardens also, due to the poor wages and working conditions.