Tea workers in Assam and West Bengal are working under a practice of modern day slavery. They are also living in a condition of enforced famine.
The labourers have been living for hundreds of years-- generation
after generation-- in their respective tea gardens. They do not hold any
title of ownership over the land. They are only entitled to stay there
as long as they work in the garden. They can be forcibly evicted from
their huts and made homeless if they opt for any other work. Thus they
are forced to work at wages which their owner pleases to pay them and
which is far below the state minimum wages in all cases. In some tea
gardens in Assam they are paid about Rs. 75/- 78/- or 85/- per day. When labourers demand hike of wages or payment of arrears the
the gardens are illegally closed down and payments are stopped. This
drives the labourers and their children, who are suffering from
inter-generationl malnutrition, to literal starvation death. This is
happening in Assam and West Bengal. Most of the labour unions are
affiliated to political parties. Their priority is protect the interests
of the political parties, not those of workers. The workers are living,
nay dying, in a condition of artificial famine and working in a
condition of slavery.
The working conditions of tea labourers in Assam is slavery-like for two
reasons. 1. They are paid less than the statutory minimum wages. 2.
They practically cant exercise the option to leave the work and look for
alternative because such move will render them homeless.
