Assam Tea Tribe Students’ Association (ATTSA) demands release of full wages to tea garden workers

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: The central committee of Assam Tea Tribe Students’ Association (ATTSA) has expressed vehement resentment over the reluctance of some tea garden management to release the full wage and due ration for tea garden workers for the period of lockdown. In this regard, the organization strongly demanded the tea garden management to release full daily wage to them along with the due ration for the period concerned in accordance with the government’s instruction or to face agitation.

Regarding the issue, the organization stated in a press release that ATTSA welcomed the declaration of lockdown initiated across the nation in order to combat against the menace of COVID-19 pandemic. “To contain the pandemic, various awareness programmes have been initiated in the tea garden areas laying emphasis on the maintenance of cleanliness and hygiene among the people of the tea tribes. At present, 1.30 lakh people of the tea tribe community, who are the pivotal part of the tea industry, have been following the lockdown advisories. But the matter of deep regret is that some tea garden management have expressed reluctance to release the full wage and the due ration to the tea garden workers for the lockdown period, but decided to pay a deducted amount of the same despite government’s order served vide letter No. PLA. 7/06/Pt—I/ 4381-444 in this regard. This attitude on the part of the tea garden management concerned has provoked reaction among the tea garden workers in addition to creating a kind of panic situation among them,” stated the press release.

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