Two more tea workers die in Bagrakote, Adhir slams Mamata

Maynaguri (Jalpaiguri): Two more workers at the Duncan-owned Bagracote tea garden in Malbazar died on Sunday, days after it was announced that estates of the group would start functioning from February 1.
The deaths of Kastu Oraon (57) and Pratima Oraon (60) who was admitted to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, have taken the toll in the Dooars tea belt to over 65 in the past 10 months.All the incidents were reported from the 16 gardens owned by Duncans and nine other closed estates. Though workers blamed lack of treatment and malnourishment, the health department said the labourers' drinking habit was responsible. Health officials claimed cerebral vascular accident and liver malfunction were the usual reasons behind the deaths.
Congress has latched onto the incident, using it to attack chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who was on a north Bengal tour when the two workers died. State Pradesh Congress Committee president Adhir Chowdhury, who was in Maynaguri for a rally, said, "This is of utter shame that despite being in north Bengal, Mamata Banerjee did not express any word of sympathy for the workers. What's embarrassing is that the CM seems to be visiting the region as a tourist," She is busy inaugurating safari parks and announcing development boards in the Darjeeling Hills. Why doesn't she announce packages for gardens when she has money to float development boards? In reality, the Bengal government has never thought of any comprehensive plan for the tea industry."Chowdhury also threatened to protest against Duncan owner G B Goenka if the February 1 deadline was missed.
, saying: "People at the gardens will continue to die but the owner will continue to live a lavish life in Kolkata. That can't be allowed. If the February 1 deadline is missed, we will force the owner to leave Kolkata."
he said. The 16 Duncans gardens have in a state of limbo since February last year.
Though Chowdhury maintained silence on the possible tie-up between the Congress and the Left, his lieutenant, Nagrakata MLA Joseph Munda, said they were looking forward to the alliance. During his sppech he claimed that it is Abhishek Banerjee's father-in-law who is supplying the bicycles to the state which the government is distributing through Sabuj Sathi scheme. Chowdhury accused Mamata of trying to curb GJM chief Bimal Gurung's power so that she could have her own way. He claimed that she was supporting Harka Bahadur Chhetri, just to undermine Gurung. The GJM chief, too, hit back at Mamata in Siliguri on Monday: "She is up with to divide-and-rule policy in the Hills and so, she is announcing more and more boards for different communities there. Even the Dooars have similar communities. Why is she not announcing boards for them?" Gurung said. "If she wants to contest from the Hills, she is welcome to."