STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The ATTSA (Assam Tea Tribe Students' Association) has submitted a memorandum to the Assam Chief Secretary showing concern that COVID-19 transmission has drastically increased in the labour line areas of the tea gardens.
The ATTSA stated that the cases are rapidly surging in Tinsukia, Golaghat, Sonitpur, Biswanath, Udalguri, Nagaon, and Sivasagar districts. In the memorandum, the ATTSA alleged that despite community transmission in the tea garden areas, the State government has not taken any step and has not issued separate SOPs. It also underlined that the owners are trying to 'suppress' the COVID situation in the tea gardens as it will affect tea production.
The ATTSA has demanded the government to take steps to conduct temperature and oxygen level checks of every tea worker before entering a tea garden.
"Every tea worker should be given N95 masks and they should be vaccinated in tea garden hospitals along with their families. Wearing PPE kits should be mandatory for ambulance drivers. Moreover, a 100-bedded COVID Care Centre with an adequate number of oxygen cylinders should be established in every tea garden. The offices in every tea garden should be sanitized every day. Additionally, separate accommodation should be provided for youths from the tea community who have arrived in Assam from other States due to the pandemic," demanded ATTSA president
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