Tea garden workers to gherao Jalpaiguri PF office over unresolved issues

Alipurduar: For the third time, the Trinamool Cha Bagan Sramik Union is set to launch a protest campaign, marching towards the Jalpaiguri Regional Provident Fund (PF) office on April 11. The demonstration aims to address the long-standing provident fund irregularities affecting tea garden workers in Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts.

The protest march will commence on April 8, simultaneously from Sankosh Tea Garden in Alipurduar and Ellenbarrie Tea Estate in Jalpaiguri. Thousands of tea garden workers are expected to participate. On April 10, the two groups will converge at Goyerkata and on April 11, they will march to Jalpaiguri, where they plan to Gherao the PF Commissioner’s regional office.

According to the Trinamool Cha Bagan Sramik Union, around 150 tea gardens in both districts are facing severe provident fund discrepancies, leaving thousands of workers without access to their rightful dues. Despite multiple protests, including two previous demonstrations at the PF office, no resolution has been reached.

Speaking on the issue, Trinamool Cha Bagan Sramik Union’s State President, Birendra Bora Oraon, stated: “Around 90 per cent of tea gardens in these districts have pending PF dues.

The management has deducted crores of rupees from workers’ wages but has failed to deposit the amount into their PF accounts. The authorities are aware of this but have taken no decisive action. Brokers operating within the PF office are making matters worse, and workers continue to suffer.”

He further emphasised the need for central-level camps, similar to the ‘Duare Sarkar’ initiative, to rectify errors in workers’ documents and streamline the PF

claim process.

However, no such initiative has been implemented, leaving protests as the only option for workers to seek justice.