25 tea gardens shut in North Bengal, 9 closed in last 3 months amid Durga Puja bonus dispute

The tea industry in North Bengal is facing a huge crisis, with 25 tea gardens currently closed across the hills, Dooars, and Terai regions. This situation has escalated recently, as nine of these gardens shut down in the last three months alone. The primary cause of these closures stems from disputes over the Durga Puja bonus, particularly impacting the iconic Darjeeling tea gardens, where seven gardens have closed this year.

As the tea production season nears its end on November 30, uncertainty looms over the reopening of these gardens during the winter months. The Alipurduar district reports nine closures, including notable gardens like Dhakalapara and Kalchini, while the Jalpaiguri district has seen Raipur and Sonali gardens shut down. In the hilly regions, 14 gardens, including Mundakothi and Nagri, are currently non-operational.

Local MP Raju Bisht has contacted Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, urging them to intervene and address the pressing issues faced by the tea workers. Suraj Subba, General Secretary of the Darjeeling Terai-Duars Plantation Labour Union, emphasized the precarious situation for thousands of workers, calling for ongoing discussions to resolve these disputes.

Concerns about the future of tea gardens have been echoed by Manoj Tigga, Chairman of the Indian Tea Workers Union, who criticized the state government's longstanding neglect of the tea sector. Additionally, some gardens, previously closed, have been operating under new owners for several years without proper land leases, raising fears of permanent closures and further jeopardizing workers' livelihoods.