Assam: Tea Workers Block NH 37 Demanding 20% Bonus Ahead of Durga Puja

Golaghat, September 21, 2019:

Tea workers in Assam’s Golaghat district, staging a massive protest, blocked the National Highway 37.

Workers of Behora Tea Estate in Golaghat’s Numaligarh area have demanded immediate release of 20 percent bonus ahead of Durga Puja celebrations in the month of October.

An enraged group of protestors took to the streets and blocked NH 37. They further lashed out at authorities for neglecting their hard work and not releasing their demanded bonus.

Also Read: AKRSU-Called 12-Hour Bandh Affects Life in Assam

The Behora tea estate workers had also boycotted their daily work following the nonpayment of the 20 percent bonus, as a result of which, the tea estate remained shut.

It is to be mentioned that tea workers in Assam have been protesting since the past few months regarding the increase of the daily wages, hike in bonus and other labour related issues.

Recently, the All Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam (AASAA) of Tinsukia District Committee had also demanded that the Management of Tea Companies pay 20 percent bonus to all the tea garden workers ahead of Durga Puja celebrations.

Also Read:Assam Minors Tied to Tree, Beaten Up, Attacked with Acid for Stealing Coconut

Ramanus Lakra, the General Secretary of AASAA, Tinsukia District Committee, said that a few days ago, Manohari Tea Estate of Dibrugarh sold 1 Kg Tea for Rs 60,000. The management had declared that this time before Durga Puja, they would pay 8.33 percent bonus to all the tea garden workers. He called it unfortunate.

“We demand the Management of Tea Companies of Assam to give 20 percent bonus ahead of Durga Puja. We also demand the clearance of all the arrears of tea garden workers, and to declare Karam Utsav as State Holiday. If our demands are not fulfilled, then AASAA shall stage protests in front all the tea Companies of Assam,” threatened Lakra.

Support Inside Northeast, an independent media platform that focuses on Citizen-centric stories from Northeast India that are surprising, inspiring, cinematic and emotionally relevant.

Readers like you make Inside Northeast’s work possible.

To support our brand of fearless investigative journalism, support us HERE.

Download:

The Inside Northeast app HERE for News, Views, and Reviews from Northeast India.

Do keep following us for news on-the-go. We deliver the Northeast