Campaign for Land Rights Starts in Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri.

 Desh Hua Azad, Lekin Hum Rahe Bagan Mallikon Ke Gulam

 

In this independent country, we  are still slaves of the tea garden owners

 

Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity commemorated 15th August as the ‘Food Security Day or Khadya Suraksha Diwas’ to highlight the exclusion of a substantial number of vulnerable households from the Public Distribution System. The event also aimed to address various other problems of the tea garden workers like Fair wages and Land Rights.

Presently, the tea garden workers are receiving only Rs 176/- as their daily wages. However, the 7th Pay Commission has declared Rs 18000/- a month as the minimum wage in 2016.Tea garden workers are therefore demanding their wages to be raised to Rs 600/- per day, which would be at par with the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission. 

Lankapara Tea Estate, Alipurduar

 

 

Birpara Tea Estate, Alipurduar

Bamandanga Tea Garden, Jalpaiguri

Dhumchipara Tea Garden, Alipurduar

 

 Demand for adequate Land rights for the tea garden workers was also incorporated in the event. 

The petition demanding land rights which that was circulated amongst the tea garden workers.

 

Subibit Dhanwar (47) , a tea garden worker from Madhu tea estate of Satali gram panchayat, Kalchini Block, Alipurdurar, inaugurated PBKMS’s campaign to demand land rights by becoming the first person to fill up a form demanding land ownership from the State Government.

Subibit’s family has been residing in the tea garden since 3 generations. The land where they have built their house is allotted by the company, but they do not possess any legal ownership over the same. This means that the moment he loses his job or retires from work, he would become homeless. The company would ask him to vacate the property. This forces workers like Subibit into a state of bondage where they become slaves and accept everything the management says including low wages because they have nowhere else to go. 

Subibit Dhanwar fills up the application form for land rights

 

All that Subibit’s family demand is ownership of the land where they have lived for 150 years. Subibit has signed the petition demanding the land rights circulated by PBKMS and shall continue to fight for the cause.  

Another issue of significance that came up was that despite the promise given by the CM in 2016, not all tea garden workers have Antodaya(AAY) ration cards. Quotas have been placed by the Central Government based on 2011 population figures which are also preventing the Government from issuing more AAY cards. Complaints about quantity and quality are also rampant .

A Tea Garden worker displays their demands in Nagaisuree Tea Estate, Jalpaiguri

 

On the whole, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri witnessed significant participation for the event. Khadya Suraksha Diwas was organized in many tea gardens such as Birpara, Garganda, Lankapara, Ramjhora, Hantapara, Madhu, Raimatang, Torsa , Dhumchipara, Bandapani, Raipur, Nagaisuree, Patharjhora, Bamandanga-Tondoo etc.  Members began their day by hoisting the National Flag and various planned social action initiatives like demonstrations, sloganeering, small gatherings.

The people discussed their issues and demands in the gatherings. While they demanded their rights, some of the villages also mourned for the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in Galwan Valley. 

PBKMS members after flag hoisting in Patharjhora Tea Garden in Jalpaiguri before beginning their campaign for land rights

   

PBKMS intends to take up the issue of wages , food and land with all concerned officials. 15^th August thus marked the beginning of their campaign, especially for land rights.

- Written by Joel Jose, Student, M.A. Development, Azim Premji University