Tea Gardens Across Assam Witness Statewide Protests: ATTSA Demands Wage Hike, Land Rights and ST Status; Warns of Larger Agitation
Tea gardens across various parts of Assam witnessed protests organised by the Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA), demanding a resolution to the long-standing issues faced by tea garden workers, land pattas, an increase in daily wages and Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the tea community.
The two-hour protest programmes were organised by different branches and sub-branches of the organisation in accordance with the directives of its central committee.
In Biswanath’s Pabhoi Tea Estate, a two-hour sit-in protest was organised by ATTSA, the Assam Tea Tribes Women’s Association and the Pabhoi Primary Unit, highlighting various pressing issues faced by tea garden workers. The protesters demanded an increase in the daily wage to Rs 350, along with improved healthcare, drinking water, housing and educational facilities. Slogans such as “Tea Workers’ Unity Zindabad” and “ATTSA Long Live” echoed across the protest site.
Meanwhile, tea workers also staged protests against the government at Negheriting Tea Estate in Dergaon under the banner of ATTSA. The protesters alleged that the Chief Minister had promised to provide land pattas to tea garden workers ahead of the elections but had failed to fulfil the assurance. They warned of blocking the National Highway if land pattas were not distributed at the earliest.
In Golaghat, tea workers of Jalan Tea Estate staged another protest under the initiative of the Golaghat unit of ATTSA. Their key demands included land rights, Scheduled Tribe status and an increase in daily wages. The protesters warned that they would launch a more intensified democratic movement if their long-pending demands remained unaddressed.
Similarly, a two-hour protest was organised in front of the main office of Kumchang Tea Estate in Kakopathar, Tinsukia district, by the Kakopathar sub-branch of ATTSA. The protesters demanded an immediate increase in daily wages to Rs 551, the prompt initiation of the land patta distribution process and improvements in the infrastructure of tea garden schools. Through the protest, ATTSA also urged the State Labour Minister and the Assam Government to take immediate steps to fulfil the demands.
In Hojai district, a protest was staged at Srimanta Sankardev Nagar under the initiative of the Hojai unit of the Tea Tribes Students’ Association, with the support of the Shankar Basti sub-branch and its primary unit. The protesters raised several demands, including the distribution of land pattas to tea tribe families. They warned of launching a series of protests and a larger agitation if the government failed to honour its pre-election promises.
In Mathurapur, Charaideo district, ATTSA’s Mathurapur sub-branch organised a sit-in protest in front of the factory premises of Mathurapur Tea Estate. The organisation demanded land rights for tea garden families who have been residing in the estates for generations and urged the government to expedite the distribution of land pattas.
Meanwhile, a United Nations delegation visited Helaiguri in the Mahmora area of Charaideo district to assess the issues and challenges faced by women workers in small tea gardens.
The delegation included UN Women’s National Representative Choko Ishikawa and National Programme Manager Ved Bhardwaj.
During the visit, the representatives interacted with women workers from small tea gardens and gathered insights into their various problems, working conditions and workplace challenges. The interaction programme was held at the residence of small tea grower Binod Chetia.
The simultaneous protests across several tea estates have once again brought the long-standing concerns of Assam’s tea community into focus. Issues such as land rights, wage revision, ST status, healthcare and educational facilities continue to remain among the major demands of tea garden workers.
Various tea workers’ organisations have warned that failure to address these demands at the earliest could lead to larger and more intensified democratic movements across the state.
