Workers demand reopening of Chencoorie Tea Estate in Silchar

Special Correspondent

Silchar: The British owned Chencoorie tea estate near this town, once quite potential and flourishing for its quality production of tea fell into bad condition in 2003. After the British management left, its affairs were being looked after by assistant registrar of cooperative societies, Cachar. But, the management pushed the tea estate to the brink of collapse, rendering around 1200 tea workers, 350 permanent and 850 casual, in a lurch. Struggling hard to survive without any wages and fringe benefits, the workers had no option than to exploit the resources of the tea estate for their sustenance.

The factory had to be shut down. The standing trees were cut down and sold in the market. The hungry employees and workers made a mince of the properties of the tea estate, turning it into a skeleton of what it was in the past. Ultimately, decision was taken by the authorities concerned of Cachar district to sell the remaining land measuring 5000 bighas. It was decided at a meeting held on January 30, 2017 in the chamber of the Deputy Commissioner of Cachar, Dr S Lakshmanan, that the appointed ex officio liquidator would issue notice inviting tender for selling 5000 bighas of land.

The successful bidder will be responsible to provide wages, provident fund, ration among others to the labourers engaged in the tea estate. For clearance of the provident fund, the liquidator was requested to submit action taken report by August 25, 2018, giving details of labourers along with the death certificates of those who have expired. Besides, relationship proof certificate, bank account statement, in case of expired labourers have also to be provided. Those workers who have attained 62 years and above will have to furnish age proof document among other papers.

But, the leaders affiliated to Bharatiya Cha Mazdoor Sanga identified as Jagdish Prajapati, Dilip Kumar Hajam, Sanjib Gour, Shibu Nunia and Shankar Rikhiasan have urged upon the authorities concerned, assistant registrar of cooperative societies not to sell the land of the tea estate. Rather, measures have to be taken to reopen it, considering its potentiality and propensity. They have also threatened unless concrete steps are taken in this direction, the employees and workers will have no option than to go for agitation. They plan to meet the new Deputy Commissioner of Cachar Laya Madduri, to impress upon her with the request to consider the revival of the Chencoorie tea estate.

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