COVID-vaccination drives not so successful in tea gardens

OUR CORRESPONDENT

TINSUKIA: Though the second wave of COVID infection has sparsely affected tea gardens communities yet till now the vaccination drive is reportedly restricted only to tea gardens which are under 'Public Private Partnership' (PPP) with NHM, even as PPP gardens constitute only 18.6 per cent of the total corporate tea gardens in Assam. This data is depicted in the line list of Tinsukia Health department.

According to ABITA source, the State Health department initiated vaccination exercise only in the PPP gardens and administered the first shot of the vaccine in a phased manner, leaving aside the non-PPP gardens though plans are afoot to incorporate the non-PPP tea gardens along with other privately-owned gardens under the urban COVID-facility centres.

In Tinsukia district, only 17 out of the 122 gardens were brought under the purview of the 'PPP' mode while the State has 803 gardens listed under the Directorate of Tea Tribes Welfare. Of these tea gardens, only 150 are included in the 'PPP' scheme.

Hence, the vaccination drive does not appear to be very successful in tea gardens. The most worrying fact is that many tea tribe workers abstained from the vaccination drive despite awareness and persuasion because a section of workers is allegedly spreading misconception and frightening the workers about effectiveness of the vaccines.

Things have come to such a pass that a 'PPP garden' in Tinsukia district had to return several vials of vaccine to the NHM, said a health official of a 'PPP' garden, on conditions of anonymity.

Also Watch: AASU Requests Grocery Shops Not to Jack Up Prices

Also Read: Companies at liberty to pay interim-wage hike to their workers in tea gardens: Gauhati HC