Lepetkata tea workers protest, demand wage hike and land rights

Dibrugarh: Hundreds of Lepetkata tea estate workers protested in Dibrugarh on Tuesday under the banner of the Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS), demanding an increase in their daily wages, higher housing allowances and land rights.
The workers, carrying placards and raising slogans, gathered inside the estate, calling for an hike in their minimum daily wage from Rs 250 to Rs 500, citing soaring living expenses. They also demanded an increase in the monthly house rent allowance for non-resident workers from Rs 300 to Rs 1,000 and land deeds for those living on tea garden land without ownership rights.
"The current wage is not enough to sustain a family. With increasing inflation and skyrocketing essential commodity prices, our workers are struggling to make ends meet. The tea industry thrives because of these workers, yet they are poorly paid," ACMS leader Bikash Tanti said.
Another major demand was the revision of the housing rent allowance for workers who live outside the estate. Currently, non-resident workers receive Rs 300 per month, which they said is grossly inadequate.
"Rents outside the garden have increased, but our allowance hasn't changed in years. Govt must address this," said Sunita Orang, a protester.
The workers also pressed for land ownership rights, as many have been living on tea estate land for generations without legal deeds.
"We have lived here for decades, yet we have no papers to prove our ownership. Govt must provide us with land deeds," Raju Gowala, a union leader, said.