India Today impact: Tea garden workers finally receive dues in West Bengal's Alipurduar

The tea garden labourers of Alipurduar, who had been suffering due to lack of money in the market, are finally breathing a sign of relief. The delayed payments had compelled the workers and their families to consume flowers, live in adverse conditions and even switch to other jobs.

Although, their problems have not completely been solved but the conditions of the workers are getting better, as they start receiving their payments.

The workers are rejoicing after the process of their payments started. "Our problem was that we were working but not getting returns. After our story was covered on the news channel, since then managers have come and started to make our accounts. I also have bank account now. I have withdrawn my wages and now I will get more. I hope we get everything that is due to us, then only can we enjoy Christmas. After getting our due money, we are all happy. We were really depressed when we did not get our money, we were forced to eat flowers but now there has been change for good," expressed Kalyani Gope, a worker.

BANK ACCOUNTS ARE BEING OPENED FOR THE WORKERS:

1. The bank officials have geared the process of making bank accounts of the tea garden workers and have even started with cash payments.

2. "All the workers in the tea garden have a restriction that does now allow them to take more than Rs 24000 per week. We went to all the tea gardens in north Bengal and opened individual saving accounts for them. Till now, we have opened 8000 accounts. We have covered around 11 tea gardens so far. In the tea garden in Alipurduar, we have opened 1500 accounts and started payments. The branch officers do minimum work in the branch and then go to the tea gardens to make accounts," explained Sushant Shekhar Das, zonal manager of Bank of India.

3. The workers who do not have Aadhar cards are completing the documentation, so that they can open their bank accounts.

4. "I am getting my Aadhar card made because it is required to open a bank account. Dues are not yet cleared completely. After I have a bank account, the whole salary will come in that and that is why we are in a hurry to open an account. Our garden owner is arranging everything. We do not have to go to the city, we are able to open the accounts in the garden itself," said Ranjit Baraik, a worker.

5. While some are happy with the progress, many are the sole bread earners of the family and are reliant on the weekly wages for everyday functioning. Hence, finding this 15-day payment system problematic.

6. "Before demonetisation we used to get paid weekly. We have only garden workers in the family and so there is only one source of income. We have got some money, which is not enough. Getting payments every 15 days is not very convenient as weekly payment is. We are 6 in the family and only one earning member. What will happen to us now," said Laxmii Mahali, another worker.

7. Expressing his happiness, Chinmay Dhar, the manager of Majherdabri tea garden said, "Till now, we have created over 1500 workers bank account and for the rest we have started the Aadhar camp. The process of opening accounts is going on. Even we were troubled in the beginning because of which we were not able to make payments for a month. Then we started with the bank accounts and problems started to get solved. We do not have any due payments now. The workers work in my garden and it is my duty to look after them."

8. The problems are slowly getting solved and the workers only want their payments on time for the hours of effort that they put in every day.

Also read: Demonetisation stirs the lives of tea garden workers, forced to eat flowers and leaves for survival