Tea gardens won't resume work immediately, announces CM

Darjeeling: The tea gardens of Bengal will not resume work immediately, stated Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a press conference on Monday.

Incidentally, a recent addendum to the earlier lockdown order from the Centre exempting the tea industry had drawn flak from the operating tea trade unions in West Bengal.

"The Union government had approached us to reopen the tea gardens. However, we feel that this area is highly sensitive, having borders with countries like Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, along with state borders. People of the region are apprehensive of heavy contamination if tea gardens are opened up immediately. They fear a rerun of Kalimpong-like situation. We will wait and watch. I am in touch with Anit Thapa, chairman, GTA. The tea gardens will not open immediately," declared the Chief Minister.

The announcement was hailed by all trade unions of the region. "Joint Forum welcomes such wise, caring and needful decision of the state government for leading the important fight of the people at large and tea workers in particular against the COVID-19 pandemic," stated Saman Pathak of the Joint Forum of Tea Unions.

There are 283 gardens in North Bengal spanning across the districts of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar in North Bengal and employ the largest workforce of around 4 lakh people.

Meanwhile, four among the ten persons who had tested positive earlier have tested negative in the second test, stated the Chief Minister. These ten persons had come in contact with the COVID-19 positive woman who passed away recently at NBMCH.

However, a nurse of the NBMCH, who was part of the medical team treating the deceased Kalimpong resident, has tested positive. She is under treatment at the COVID-19 hospital in Matigarah, informed Dr Pralay Acharya, CMOH, Darjeeling.

In another development, the Darjeeling Police has arrested 8 persons for violating the ongoing social lockdown. This is the first of its kind arrest in the hill town.

"They have been arrested under Section of 51 B Disaster Management Act read with section 188 of the Indian Penal Code," said Rahul Pandey, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Darjeeling.