Only two tea gardens declare Puja bonus by September 5 deadline

DIBRUGARH: Despite the directive issued to the tea industry to announce their percentage of Durga puja bonus by September 5, only a couple of tea gardens out of the 803 in the state have so far complied with the order. The state labour and welfare department had earlier asked all tea gardens across the state to declare their quantum of bonus by September 5.
Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS) general secretary Rupesh Gowala on Thursday said that the two tea gardens in upper Assam, Hollonghabi Tea Estate in Tinsukia and Woka Tea Estate in Golaghat, have announced their quantum of bonus.
This year, Durga Puja will start from October 4 and the ACMS had already issued a circular to its affiliated tea gardens to initiate the bonus payment process.
"Both Hollonghabi and Woka tea estates have declared 20% puja bonus for workers. We are still waiting for the other tea estates to announce their rate of bonus. Like every year, we have sought the maximum 20% puja bonus for the workers. We have asked the tea industry to pay the bonus at least three weeks before Durga Puja so that workers have enough time to complete their shopping. We want the entire bonus payment process to be smooth and hassle-free," the ACMS general secretary said.
The minimum bonus for tea plantation workers under the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 is 8.33% while the maximum rate has been fixed at 20%. All permanent and temporary workers who has worked for a minimum period of 30 days are entitled to the benefit.
Among the 803 registered tea gardens in Assam, 555 are in the upper Assam tea belt. Dibrugarh district has the highest number of tea gardens (177), followed by Tinsukia (122), Jorhat (88), Sivasagar (85) and Golaghat (74).
Last year, all tea majors like Mcleod Russel, Andrew Yule, Goodricke, James Warren, Grob, Dhunsiri, Russel, MK Shah Exports, Tata (Amalgamated Plantations), Assam Company, Warren, Apeejay and Stuart Holl had paid the highest 20% bonus to its workers.
"There is an apprehension among tea garden workers after the announcement by the Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations (CCPA) that the tea industry may not be able to pay more other than the minimum 8.33% due to recession in the tea industry. We have made it clear that anything less than 20% will be unacceptable," said Assam Tea Tribes Students' Association publicity secretary Lakhindra Kurmi. "Tea garden workers are already among the most underpaid and it will be a case of great injustice if the tea industry deprives them of their well-deserved annual Puja bonus," he added.