Renowned social activist and Supreme Court appointed advisor to right to food and work committee, Ms Anuradha Talwar, has expressed dissatisfaction over the ‘insufficient’ relief and government aid being offered to the workers of the closed tea estates in Jalpaiguri district. After meeting the Jalpaiguri DM, Mr R Ranjit, over the state of affairs in the closed plantations, Ms Talwar told reporters that the situation is fast deteriorating and the sufferings of the workers are mounting up day by day.
She alleged that the government aid and relief was not properly reaching to the eligible workers and said that the district administration should immediately intervene.
Ms Talwar stressed on the strict implementation of the Central government schemes like the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), to provide the closed estate workers with temporary livelihood options. During her meeting with the DM, Ms Talwar was accompanied by a section of workers from the closed Ramjhora, Bharnobarie, Tinchula and Mujnai tea estates.
The workers alleged that in a number of closed tea estates, the operating management committees were not functioning properly and there was lack of transparency. When contacted on the issue, the DM, Jalpaiguri, accepted the allegation to be true and said that the administration was helpless. “The operating management committees comprised representatives of trade unions, workers and local public representatives. In a number of cases, the OMCs are not opening up bank accounts as suggested by the administration, resulting in lack of accountability and transparency in their functioning,” Mr Ranjit said.,
She alleged that the government aid and relief was not properly reaching to the eligible workers and said that the district administration should immediately intervene.
Ms Talwar stressed on the strict implementation of the Central government schemes like the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), to provide the closed estate workers with temporary livelihood options. During her meeting with the DM, Ms Talwar was accompanied by a section of workers from the closed Ramjhora, Bharnobarie, Tinchula and Mujnai tea estates.
The workers alleged that in a number of closed tea estates, the operating management committees were not functioning properly and there was lack of transparency. When contacted on the issue, the DM, Jalpaiguri, accepted the allegation to be true and said that the administration was helpless. “The operating management committees comprised representatives of trade unions, workers and local public representatives. In a number of cases, the OMCs are not opening up bank accounts as suggested by the administration, resulting in lack of accountability and transparency in their functioning,” Mr Ranjit said.,