2,500 workers in distress ahead of Diwali at Alipurduar's two troubled tea gardens

A lockout at Bharnobari tea garden and the departure of the management from Kohinoor tea garden without notice have left around 2,500 workers in Alipurduar district in distress ahead of Diwali.

On Friday, the management of Bharnobari in Kalchini block issued a notice of lockout with effect from October 23. The garden, around 42km from the district headquarters, has around 1,700 workers.

At Kohinoor, in Kumargram block, workers who reported for duty on Friday found management officials missing. The garden, around 21km from the district headquarters, employs around 880 workers.

Trouble at Bharnobari surfaced on October 17, when workers arrived for work and found the factory, manager’s bungalow and office locked. They realised the management had left without issuing a notice. The notice was formally served on Friday.

The management of Bharnobari paid bonuses to around 1,300 permanent workers, but nearly 400 others, comprising staff, sub-staff and temporary workers, were yet to receive bonuses. On October 17, those awaiting payment went to the Hasimara police outpost and staged a protest.

Friday's lockout notice was signed by K. Chakroborty, a director of Bharnobari Tea and Industries Ltd.

The notice cited alleged indiscipline, misconduct, non-compliance with lawful instructions and other activities that, the management claimed, adversely affected the estate's orderly functioning and normal operations. The management said it declared the lockout to safeguard company property, maintain workplace discipline and prevent further disruption.

Rajesh Barla, general secretary of the Bharatiya Tea Workers Union, which is backed by the BJP, blamed the garden’s manager for the situation and said the union would approach the labour department after Lakshmi Puja. “They paid the bonus to all 1,300 permanent workers but did not pay 400 casual workers, sub-staff and staff,” said Barla. “After Lakshmi Puja, when the offices reopen, we would talk to the labour department for a meeting regarding the Bharnobari tea garden."

At Kohinoor, the management’s departure followed the incomplete payment of promised bonuses and outstanding wages. The management told workers that 10 per cent bonus would be paid initially and another 10 per cent before Holi. It also promised to clear a part of the pending wages before Diwali. However, only a few workers received the initial 10 per cent bonus, while most were still awaiting it when the management left the estate without notice.