North Bengal’s lush tea estates, especially in the Dooars region, are facing a serious crisis. A massive outbreak of looper caterpillars, a pest known for damaging tea leaves, has spread across nearly all gardens in the area.
The Trinamul Congress on Tuesday launched a sharp counterattack against BJP MLA and chief whip of the Opposition, Sankar Ghosh, after he raised the issue of alleged eviction of tribal tea growers from forest land in Cooch Behar during a recent session of the state Assembly.
In a curious twist of timing on 21 April, the tea industry saw a strong brew of concern and caution pour into government corridors.
In a renewed effort to address the long-pending issue of minimum wages for tea plantation workers, labour minister Moloy Ghatak convened a crucial meeting on Saturday.
The Joint Forum, a coalition of over 30 trade unions representing tea plantation workers of north Bengal, has announced an agitation programme to address critical issues in the tea industry.
As chief minister Mamata Banerjee unveils plans to allow 30 per cent of tea plantation land for commercial use, particularly for tea tourism, tea estate owners are grappling with a different challenge, of illegal encroachments.
Labour Minister Moloy Ghatak has intervened in the ongoing dispute over the 20 per cent bonus demand by tea workers in the Hills.
A dramatic rescue operation unfolded today as members of a wildlife squad worked tirelessly to bring a stranded leopard to safety after it had taken refuge atop a tree to escape the crowds.
After the postponement of the Tea Advisory Council (TAC) meeting, which was convened by the labour minister as a chairman and scheduled to take place at the Tea Directorate office in Siliguri today, controversies have arisen over the last-minute cancellation and the reasons behind it.
According to the staff at the 'A grade' tea garden, which spreads over 508 hectares of land, there are 1252 permanent workers and around 300-350 casual ones, and that they are demanding all pending dues, including a part of last year's bonus, salary for December last year, tea makers' bonus, and other arrears.
