Siliguri: Tirihanna tea garden management missing from tripartite meeting

The management of Tirihanna tea garden, located in Siliguri subdivision of Darjeeling district, abstained from a tripartite meeting called by the state labor department here on Friday to facilitate the reopening of the garden.

Representatives of the operating trade unions were present in the talks and assured all possible cooperation from their side.

This garden is closed since November last year. On January 2, the owner, Ghanshyam Kankani, alleged that the management was forced to close the garden due to the high-handedness of some INTTUC leaders. INTTUC is the trade union of Trinamool Congress. INTTUC leaders also banned sending tea from the plantation, Kankani said. His claim was supported by representatives of the North Bengal Industries Association, a major trade body in the region.

“The management did not attend the meeting. However, trade union leaders were present and demanded that the garden be reopened immediately and the management pay the dues of the workers. A Labor Department official said, “As there was no tripartite discussion, we could not reach any decision.”

The plantation has 1,200 workers and they have been unemployed for almost two months. Labor department sources said they have obtained the data from the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO).

EPFO officials have said that Bagan’s PF dues are around Rs 2.95 crore. “The garden has applied for payment of dues in instalments, but the trade unions want EPFO to initiate legal action against the management. Trade union leaders have also informed us that they have sent a letter to the management that they can resume dispatch of tea from the plantation and no one will stop it,” the official said.

On January 2, the owner said that because of INTTUC leaders he could not dispatch about 80,000 kg of tea from the plantation and suffered a loss of Rs 2.5 crore.

Darjeeling (Plains) district INTTUC president Nirjal Dey said the absence of the management indicates a lack of sincerity in reopening the garden.