AASAA activists burn effigies, demand increase in wages

From a Correspondent

MARGHERITA, April 21:  Activists of the All Adivasi Student Association of Assam (AASAA), Margherita Regiol Committee burnt the effigies of Jitesh Khosla, chairman of Minimum Wage Advisory Committee and also Chief Secretary of Assam and Dr JB Ekka, Member Secretary-cum- Labour Commissioner of Assam recently on NH 38 near Margherita Tea Estate. More than 150 members of AASAA Margherita Regiol Committee were present during the protest. AASAA has demanded that daily wage of tea labourers should be increased to Rs 330. Ramanus Lakra, president of AASAA Margherita Regiol Committee, expressed resentment over the fact Jitesh Khosla and Dr JB Ekka made an agreement with CCPA and ACMS where Rs 115 was fixed as daily wage for tea labourers.

Lakra said that CCPA and ACMS had earlier agreed to pay Rs 169 as daily wage but this never happened. He said that  Jitesh Khosla and Dr J B Ekka should immediately issue a notification to implement Rs 330 as daily wage for tea labourers or they would be compelled to launch a vigorous agitation against the Assam Government, CCPA, ACMS, Chief Secretary of Assam and also the Labour Commissioner of Assam within a month.