Probe against Operating and Maintenance Committee

Jaigaon: The Jalpaiguri district administration has decided to probe into allegations levelled by workers of Surendra Nagar Tea Estate against the operating and maintenance committee (OMC) running the garden.

A large number of workers gathered for a meeting within the garden yesterday and alleged that members of the Citu-controlled OMC were underpaying them and not allowing the owner Rabin Paul to enter the estate.

“I have asked A. Das, the officer-in-charge of elections, to visit the garden next week and submit a report to me,” said Jalpaiguri district magistrate R. Ranjit.

In another incident, Asha Kheria, 21, a worker of the Beech tea garden, committed suicide by hanging herself in the kitchen of her house this afternoon. Asha’s neighbour Dhuba Thapa said ever since the garden shut down last Sunday, Asha’s husband, Silisti, had left to look for work in Bhutan. The woman had been without food since then, Thapa claimed. The body has been sent for post-mortem.

Source: The Telegraph