No Respite for Labourers of Temi Tea Estate in Sikkim, Work Continues Despite Lockdown

Gangtok, April 6, 2020:

Sikkim's only organic Temi Tea Estate was in controversy few days back for as the workers of estate were seen plucking tea leaves during the lock down. Now, work continues at the estate, but the owners have assured that "safety measures" for the workers are in place.

The management of Temi Tea Estate stated that the estate is exempted from lockdown vide Notification/Order 19/home/2020 dated 27 March 2020 and and is following all the guidelines issued by the Government in this regard.

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The Tea Estate authority says that it has taken care of its workers, sensitised and provided all the necessary precautionary measures after consultation with the Health Department, Government of Sikkim. Moreover, distribution of masks, sanitizers and social distancing measures have also been adopted.

It was also informed that this is the peak session to pluck the leaves, so the owners said that they have to do it, otherwise the entire hardship done by the workers will go to vain.

Temi Tea estate is the fully organic and only heritage tea estate of Sikkim and it is known for its world famous second flushes, popularly termed as summer Temi flush. The highest price for Temi tea was Rs 16,000 per kg, at which it was sold last year.

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A similar situation is also being reported in Assam, where workers have been seen doing their daily chores in estates.

It has now come to light that the tea tribe workers, one of the most underprivileged classes from Assam, are still being made to work by the owners of the estates, despite the imposition of a 21-day lockdown that has been called by the Government of India. This has been attested by a leader of the community, Deben Urang, who has lamented that despite legal ramifications of forcing tea tribe members to work despite the lockdown, the directive is being violated.

Urang, who is the Secretary of the All Adivasi Students‘ Association complains that there is little awareness among the community as far as the COVID-19 is concerned. “At a time when the corona has hit the world, the Indian Government has called for a 21-day lockdown. In some tea gardens, the owners are continuing to make the employees work.”

The tea tribe leader also lamented that some tea tribe laborers are not following the Government’s directives and they have stepped outside their houses and are loitering outside.

He further added that because the tea tribe community is economically vulnerable, they should be provided with facilities so that they are able  “They must be provided with daily rations, and they must be given the health facilities.

Meanwhile, the country is in the midst of a 21-day lockdown, with normalcy looming on the horizon. However, the PM Narendra Modi has hinted at a staggered exit from the lockdown that kept over 1.3 Indians indoors.

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