Siliguri, West Bengal — The padayatra organized by the Progressive Tea Workers Union (PTWU) and the Raji Parha Sarna Prarthna Sabha Bharat reached its conclusion today in Dagapur, Siliguri. The march, which originated at the Birpara Tea Estate, ended this afternoon after the participating members submitted a formal memorandum at the Shramik Bhavan.
The primary agenda of the march centered on five key demands regarding the welfare and legal rights of tea plantation workers. First, the unions are calling for the implementation of a minimum wage before the start of the upcoming assembly elections. Furthermore, they demand that workers living within the tea gardens be granted full ownership rights, including official land records or Khatiyan, for the land they occupy.
The memorandum also highlighted financial grievances, specifically demanding the immediate payment of outstanding Provident Fund (PF) and Gratuity in gardens where these benefits are currently in arrears. Additionally, the protesters are seeking administrative intervention to facilitate the immediate reopening of all closed tea gardens throughout the Dooars-Terai region.
Finally, the unions addressed specific issues involving gardens owned by the “Merico” and “Sammelan” companies. The demand states that all pending payments, bonuses, PF, and Gratuity must be settled immediately. The organizations further stipulated that if these companies fail to clear the dues, the administration should remove the current management and hand the operations over to alternative companies. The submission at Shramik Bhavan marks the end of this collective march as the unions await a response to their charter.
