Speed-up COVID Vaccination Drive in Tea Estates: Assam Tea Tribes Students' Association

STAFF REPORTER GUWAHATI:

COVID Vaccination Drive for Tea Garden Workers: The Assam Tea Tribes Students' Association (ATTSA) has demanded of the State Government to speed up the COVID-19 vaccination drive in tea garden areas of the State. The ATTSA has also appealed to the State Government to issue special SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) to contain the spread of the virus in the tea garden areas in the State.

Talking to The Sentinel, ATTSA president Dhiraj Gowala said that covid vaccination programmes were underway across the nation. However, the assam tea garden areas of Assam are being neglected in the drive, he said.

"COVID-19 vaccination drives are being conducted in some of the tea gardens in the State. But, garden managements, local administrations, the Indian Tea Association and the Consultative Committee of Plantation Association are not playing their respective roles in the vaccination of all the tea workers in the State," said Gowala.

The ATTSA pointed out that the tea garden owners did move the High Court promptly opposing the Assam Government's decision to increase the daily wage of tea workers. But they have taken dilly-dallying tactics for the safety of tea garden workers, the ATTSA leader said.

"In Assam, the number of COVID patients is increasing rapidly. The government has not taken any step to vaccinate the tea workers above the age of 45. On the other hand, the tea garden owners should at least manage the conveyance for tea workers so that they can avail free vaccine at government hospitals," Gowala asserted.

He also underlined that the COVID-19 protocols are not being followed in tea gardens. There are no arrangements for sanitization, he added.

The tea tribe association appealed to the Government to open COVID vaccination centres in tea garden areas. It also urged the Government to be vigilant as to whether the COVID protocols are being followed in these areas, besides special SOPs.

It is to be noted that there are around 850 to 900 tea gardens in the State where more than 10 lakh workers are engaged.

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