Darjeeling, 30 September (Hindustan Reporter) The 12-hour strike of tea workers in Darjeeling and surrounding areas took a major toll on Monday. Darjeeling came to a complete standstill due to the strike, while the situation remained somewhat normal in Kalimpong. At many places, tea workers blocked roads, disrupting communication between the hilly areas and the plains. Meanwhile, Navan has taken the initiative to resolve the bonus issue and has ordered the Labor Department to resolve the issue through negotiations between tea workers and owners.
The dispute over bonus continues between tea workers and owners. The workers are demanding that they be given 20 percent bonus, while the owners are adamant on 13 percent. There were many discussions regarding this issue, but till now no solution has been found. Labor org.zations called for a 12-hour strike in support of their demands, leading to incidents of violence and blockades at some places. In Rohini and Kurseong, workers blocked roads and stopped vehicular movement. Police also used mild force to control the situation.
Due to the peak time of tourism in the hilly areas, tourists are facing a lot of trouble due to the strike. In view of this, Navan has ordered the Labor Department to immediately intervene and find a solution through negotiations. The Chief Secretary has spoken to the officials of the Labor Department and steps are being taken to normalize the situation as soon as possible, so that the tea workers can return to their work and the problems of the tourists can be put to an end.
