Fresh crisis threatens Barak Valley TEs

GUWAHATI, June 16 – The tea industry in the Barak Valley is facing a fresh crisis with the labourers threatening to go on strike demanding a hike in wages. This is the second major crisis faced by the industry within the last couple of months as floods and hailstorm in April created havoc in the gardens in the valley. The stalemate over the wage hike demand is yet to be settled and the meeting between the Consultative Committee of Tea Planters Associations and the leaders of the Assam Chah Sramik Sangha, held recently failed to arrive at a consensus on the issue. The gardens in the Barak Valley are paying Rs 38 per day as wage to the labourers and the Sangha is demanding that the wage should be hiked to Rs 48.50 to bring parity with the wage paid by the gardens of the Brahmaputra Valley. It may be mentioned here that the Assam Government had issued a notification on minimum wages to bring parity of the wages of the labourers of the gardens in the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys but till date, the notification has not come into effect.

Meanwhile, talking to this correspondent, the secretary of the Tea Association of India, D Deka pointed out that the Barak Valley gardens are not in a position to hike the wage to Rs 48.50 per day because of their economic condition. He said that the demand for hike in wages to bring it at par with the gardens of the Brahmaputra Valley would not benefit the labourers in the long run as majority of the gardens would have to face closure. He expressed the hope that the labour unions would realise the situation and would not go ahead with the strike, as such a move would seriously affect the industry as a whole.

Deka pointed out that traditionally there was a difference in the wages of the gardens in the Brahmaputra and Barak Valleys because of various reasons. He pointed out that the buyers are not willing to pay same price for tea produced in the Barak Valley gardens and traditionally, the price of tea produced in the Barak gardens is much less than that produced in the Brahmaputra Valley gardens. He said that the yield per hectare in the Barak gardens is also much less and the labourers in the Brahmaputra Valley have to pluck 21 kilograms per day while, the labourers in the Barak have to pluck 18 kilograms. Because of these factors, the labourers in the Barak Valley were paid less wages over the years.

The Tea Association secretary further pointed out that floods and hailstorm in April created havoc in the Barak Valley and majority of the gardens were seriously affected. He said that according to an estimate, about 50 per cent of the April and May crop was damaged in floods and hailstorm and if the labourers go ahead with the strike, it would give a serious jolt to the industry in the Barak Valley.