CM doesn't know about Starvation deaths

Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today denied any knowledge of starvation deaths in closed tea gardens in north Bengal.

“We’re aware that there may be problems due to malnutrition and lack of sufficient food for workers in 13 closed gardens of north Bengal. We know that they’re going though a difficult time, but the state government has no knowledge of any starvation deaths in these estates,” said Bhattacharjee.

According to the chief minister, he has met twice the district officials there — once in December last year and in January — and has ordered the formation of a task force to monitor the estates. “I’ve directed the task force members, including the secretaries of health, labour, planning and development and rural development departments to visit these gardens without delay and submit a report to me,” the chief minister said.

M.N. Roy, the secretary of the rural development and panchayat affairs department, visited some of the estates today to take a stock of the situation. Accompanied by B.L. Meena, the divisional commissioner of Jalpaiguri, and other administrative officials, Roy visited the Raipur, Sikarpur and Bhandapur, Kanthalguri and Ramjhora estates.

“He is here to find out to what extent the developmental schemes for workers have been implemented,” said Banamali Roy, the sabhadhipati of the Jalpaiguri zilla parishad.

The workers complained to Roy about the low-scale activities under programmes, like 100-day work and mid-day meal schemes.

Source: The Telegraph