Heatwaves and erratic rains hit Assam’s tea belt, putting women workers’ health at risk

Thousands of tea workers, particularly women, are affected as rising heat, erratic rainfall & prolonged dry spells impact their health.

A CORRESPONDENT

DIBRUGARH: Assam's tea gardens are facing a growing threat from climate change and heat waves, with the sudden change in weather patterns becoming a concern for the tea industry. In Upper Assam, rising temperatures, heat waves, and increasingly erratic weather patterns are affecting tea production-and making working conditions harder for thousands of tea workers.

"The entire weather pattern has changed in the last 5-6 years. Production has been very badly hampered due to the erratic weather pattern. Climate change is a great challenge for the tea industry because the production and the workforce have been greatly impacted," said Samir Lodhi, Manager of Borbaruah tea estate.

He added, "The impact is particularly severe on women, who make up a large part of the tea garden workforce and spend long hours working outdoors, often under intense heat."

Dibrugarh was once known for its relatively pleasant climate. But tea workers say the weather has changed noticeably over the past five to six years.

Tea plantations typically require between 1,200 and 2,500 millimetres of rainfall annually, preferably spread evenly through the year. But changing rainfall patterns and prolonged dry spells are making that increasingly difficult.

"Due to sudden changes in the climate, women workers-the largest workforce in the gardens-are facing skin-related diseases and diarrhoea. We are monitoring their health and providing adequate water," said Surya Kumar Borgohain, a doctor at Borbaruah tea estate.

For the tea industry, the warning is clear: climate change is no longer a distant threat. It is already affecting the plantations-and the people who work in them.

Tea garden managements have introduced measures to cope with the changing conditions, including providing workers with water and health support. But the scale of the challenge is growing. Experts and workers say that a broader strategy is now needed to protect Assam's tea industry and the communities that depend on it.

"The tea industry of Assam needs to be revived because it is one of the largest industries in the state and many people are associated with it," said Baljit Singh Sekhon, General Manager of Monohari tea estate.

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