After Madras HC order, Manjolai workers allowed to stay in estate quarters

TIRUNELVELI: The Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Limited (BBTCL) has informed the workers of Manjolai tea estate that they need not vacate their quarters on the hills.

The decision comes days after the Madras High Court, in an interim order, asked the authorities to maintain status quo in the issue. In a notice served to the workers on Thursday, the private company, whose 99-year estate lease is set to end in 2028, also said the labourers will be paid their 75% ex gratia due within three days.

“This is to inform all the ex-workers of the BBTCL in Singampatti group, comprising Manjolai, Manimuthar and Oothu estates and factories, that as per the interim order passed by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, the balance 75% of ex gratia will be deposited by the company with the Assistant Commissioner of Labour (Plantations), Nagercoil, in three days. The workers can submit a request and collect the amount,” the notice said.

Earlier, the company, which had paid 25% of ex gratia, said it would settle the rest only after the workers vacated the quarters. But after the court order, the company decided to waive the terms of the memorandum of settlement (MoS) with regard to vacating the quarters, until further orders.

Meanwhile, MA Arasu Amalraj, advocate for Manjolai Residents’ Welfare Association, and retired railway staff VM Chelladurai told reporters in Tirunelveli that the state government has been trying to shirk its responsibility. “We thought that Chief Minister MK Stalin would talk about the (Manjolai) issue in the Assembly, but only the hooch tragedy occupied the House hours,” Amalraj said.

“Instead of taking a firm decision, the forest minister is saying that he will abide by the court order. But the court can only give suggestions, and it is up to the state government to safeguard the workers,” Amalraj said. The government must take over the Manjolai tea estate from BBTCL, he said. He further urged the BBTCL administration to provide `10,000 as compensation to workers who had opted for voluntary retirement scheme but were unable to find any other job for the past 25 days.