Meeting on tea workers’ wages, land pattas fails as govt pushes first phase plan
During the first phase of land allotment, planned to be completed within February, 103 gardens have been selected.
Sources said during the first phase of land allotment, planned to be completed within February, 103 gardens have been selected. All ATCL gardens will relinquish the labour line lands, while one tea garden in each legislative assembly constituency and any willing tea garden, “if they relinquish,” will be part of the first phase, sources said.
The selected gardens have started receiving notices.
The meeting, held last evening, was chaired by the Labour Minister Rupesh Gowala. Chief Secretary Ravi Kota was also present.
“The Chief Secretary requested the industry to be on board and help the government. He stated that while the compensation as requested by the industry may be very complicated, his response towards absolving the statutory obligation was positive,” an industry representative present in the meeting said.
The tea garden managements want to be absolved of statutory obligations such as housing, maintenance, water supply, recreational facilities, etc, which are being provided to the workers as “resident workers”.
The Chief Secretary told the representatives that the Government of Assam will be publishing the draft Rules of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, and advised the industry to make suggestions for abolishing the statutory obligations, which the government will look into.
The Plantations Labour Act 1951, which is now subsumed into the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, a Central law, mandates the provision of housing and other amenities to workers.
The difficulties in the administration of estates, value of standing assets, etc, while allotting land to the workers were also discussed.
“The government was receptive and took note of the concerns, but no commitment was made from their side,” the sources said.
While the wage issue will culminate in an interim increase now, regular wage fixation will follow once the national-level floor wage is decided by the Centre and Assam rules are finalised, the industry representatives were told.
The Labour Minister told the planters that the Chief Minister will call a meeting later this month and advised the industry to “refrain from any legal action”. A separate meeting will be convened shortly to discuss the interim wage increase matter.
Sources, however, said the industry representatives are keeping the legal options open.