MARIANI: The non-payment of the dues to the workers of multiple tea gardens has triggered a sensation in these gardens and the people have resorted to protests demanding the same on Saturday.
The workers in multiple tea gardens of the Mariani town have not been paid their wages ahead of the Diwali festival season. The workers alleged that the managers of the tea gardens, which come under the Assam Tea Corporation, fled from the gardens without the payment of their dues.
The workers of Choikta, Dhekiyajuli, Katnibari, Naginijan, Chatai and several other tea gardens mounted protests since they did not receive their due wages ahead of the festival. Local police were called in to control the situation, but the protests continued despite the arrival of the police forces and the tension continues to mount.
The workers of the Naginijan Tea Estate took to protests from Friday itself, triggering a sensation in the garden. The manager of the garden reportedly fled the scene because of the incident. It can be mentioned that the Assam Tea Corporation had leased out the garden to a private organisation named Jalinga. Meanwhile, the workers are protesting against the authorites demanding the immediate payment of the dues.
Meanwhile, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) had earlier staged protests in labour offices across the state, demanding the declaration of the minimum wages for the workers in the tea gardens in the state. CITU staged protests at several locations demanding the monthly remuneration be fixed at Rs 21,000 for labour and the minimum daily wages of tea garden workers be declared at Rs 661. They also demanded that wages be given in place of remuneration to the Anganwadi workers, the ASHA workers, and the cooks engaged under the mid-day meal scheme. They also demanded that the construction and automobile workers also be provided social security, along with the workers from other sectors.
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