Assam: Lepetkata Tea Estate Workers Protest For Wage Hike And Land Rights In Dibrugarh

DIBRUGARH: Hundreds of tea workers from the Lepetkata tea estate in Dibrugarh organized a protest under the aegis of the Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS), demanding improved wages and living conditions on Tuesday. The workers assembled inside the estate, holding placards and shouting slogans, as they demanded a hike in their minimum daily wage from Rs 250 to Rs 500, pointing to the growing cost of living.

In addition to the wage hike, the protesters demanded an increase in the monthly housing rent allowance for non-resident workers, requesting an adjustment from Rs 300 to Rs 1,000. They also sought land deeds for those who have been residing on tea garden land without ownership rights for generations.

"The current wage is insufficient to support a family. With inflation and the soaring prices of essential goods, our workers are struggling to survive," stated ACMS leader Bikash Tanti. Another protester, Sunita Orang, emphasized the need for a revision of the housing rent allowance, noting that rents outside the estate have increased significantly while their allowance has remained stagnant.

Union leader Raju Gowala spoke of the decades-old problem of land ownership, saying, "We have stayed here for generations, but we do not have legal documents to establish our ownership. The government should give us land deeds." The protest marks the continued difficulties of tea estate workers in claiming fair compensation and rights to land they have lived on for generations.

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