TE's rejection to pay Rs 13 lakh to Moina Nayak irks Assam Tea Tribe Student Union

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The ATTSA (Assam Tea Tribe Student Union) has expressed worry over what it said is inaction on the part of the State Government despite a series of accidents occurring in various tea garden factories in the state.

The outbursts from the student body came close on the heels of the Lepetkata Tea Estate Management rejecting the government's order to pay over Rs 13 lakh as compensation to Moina Nayak, who suffered injuries while working in the tea factory.

ATTSA general secretary Dhiraj Gowala said, "The Factory Act, 1948 and the Plantation Labour, 1951 have enough teeth to ensure the security of tea gardens workers. The State Labour Welfare Department is the nodal agency for appointing factory and tea garden inspectors to see the proper implementation of the provisions of the two Acts. The negligence of the Labour Welfare Department, tea garden management and owners of tea factories have posed a serious threat to the security of factory workers who have been meeting with serious accidents, one after another. The serious accident of Moina Nayak at a tea factory at Lepetkota in Dibrugarh is indeed a hair-raising incident. She has been battling for life in the GMCH (Gauhati Medical College and Hospital)."

Gowala said, "Many other injured workers of Talap Tea Garden and other tea estates are also under treatment. The Office of the Assistant Labour Commissioner, Dibrugarh, asked the Manager of Lepetkata Tea Estate to pay Moina Nayak over Rs 13 lakh as compensation within three days. The office issued an order on July 22. However, the tea garden management has refused to pay the amount. Such negligence on the part of the garden management and the department concerned pushes the labour toward uncertainty. The authority should bring the managers of Lepetkata Tea Estate and the tea factory within the ambit of the inquiry. And the Labour Welfare Department should make the garden management pay the compensation to Moina Nayak without any further delay."

Gowala said that ATTSA and the Assam Tea Tribe Women Association would stage a dharna in front of the office of the factory inspector on August 1, 2022.

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