Tea workers stage dharna

Jorhat, 31 December: The workers of Borhat tea estate in Sivasagar district of Assam under the leadership of the Bagicha Shramik Santha staged a dharna on 31 December in front of the Borhat police station, demanding that the management immediately lift the illegal lockout of the garden. An indefinite lockout had been declared in the garden the day before, following protests by workers against the death of a woman worker on 28 December. The garden, under Charaideo subdivision, is owned by Amalgamated Plantations Pvt Ltd. (a Tata plantation).

Over 200 workers under the banner of Chah Janajati Mahila Mahasabha, gathered in front of the police station and shouted slogans against the management and demanded that the garden be opened immediately. They also demanded that manager Pratul Bora and Dr. B K Gogoi be removed from the garden and compensation be paid to the family of Raimati Majhi, the permanent worker who died due to management’s negligence. The workers submitted a memorandum to the officer-in-charge of the police station.

The labour commissioner has been directed to hold negotiations with the management and convince them to lift the lockout.