A day after the state government, in a tripartite meeting in Siliguri, asked planters to pay the second installment of the puja bonus to tea workers in the Hills by 10 March, the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM)-affiliated trade union, the Darjeeling Terrai Dooars Plantation Labour Union (DTDPLU) on Friday said that they would allow the dispatch of the first flush tea in only those tea gardens which pay the workers the bonus.

It may be mentioned here that in the meeting in Siliguri yesterday, planters had expressed their inability to make such a payment by the set deadline and had told the government of the problems in doing so. The DTDPLU had earlier given the planters until 28 February to clear the payment, failing which they would block the dispatch of the first flush tea manufactured in the factories.

“It was agreed yesterday that the second installment of the bonus has to be given by the management by 10 March. As such we have decided that we will allow the dispatch of the first flush tea, along with the samples, only after they pay the bonus. If a tea garden pays the dues tomorrow, we will allow them to dispatch the tea the very next day,” the Darjeeling sub-division DTDPLU secretary, Balam Tamang, said on Friday.

DTDPLU general secretary Bharat Thakuri said that in the Siliguri meeting yesterday, the management of tea gardens were of the view that due to the recent 104- day strike, they are facing a funds crunch and that they would not be able to pay the bonus.

“But our Morcha leader (Binoy Tamang) along with the state labour minister stressed that the bonus was for the previous year when the Hills were normal,” he said. The plucking of the first flush leaf starts from mid- February and continues until the last week of April in the Hills.

It may be mentioned here that the tea bonus had been agreed to be paid in two installments after the 104-day shutdown. While the planters have paid the first part, they are yet to disburse the remaining part.

On the government order to pay interim wages with a hike of Rs 17. 50, Mr Thakuri said, “This was already implemented in the plains from early February, but no such order has come for the Hills so far. In the meeting yesterday, it was agreed that this payment would also be made in the Hills with effect from January. We have agreed to this.”