Alleging inferior and poor quality distribution of ration to tea garden workers in the state by government registered supplier ABC Tea Workers’ Welfare Service, the National Front of Indian Trade Unions (DHN) which has Sharad Pawar as its chief patron, has sought a high-level enquiry into the issue. Addressing the media at the Greater Dibrugarh Press Club on Friday, NFITU central vice president Israil Nanda alleged that ABC Tea Workers’ Welfare Service have been supplying inferior, inconsumable, foul smelling and inedible rice and flour to the tea garden workers for years together.
“The irresponsible attitude of the ABC Tea Workers’ Welfare Services is nothing new and not confined to one place. Several tea estates have lodged complaints in this regard. For instance Kharjan tea estate in Dibrugarh was also supplied inferior quality ration provisions last month which were replaced immediately after the workers’ protest. But the supplier fell back on its old ways. On June 13 and June 14, ABC Tea Workers’ Welfare Services supplied inferior and inedible ration to Daisajan tea estate in Dibrugarh. After intense protests by workers the manager emptied the content into a pit they instantly dug for this purpose and destroyed it,” Nanda alleged.
In a memorandum to Dibrugarh deputy commissioner Biswajit Pegu on Friday, the National Front of Indian Trade Unions (DHN) mentioned, “The ABC Tea Workers’ Welfare Services seems to act more like commission agents and mouth piece for a few selective unscrupulous mill owners thus depriving the workers of good of of contract through the commission agents of the officials belonging to ABC Tea Workers’ Welfare Services. Keeping in view the health and well-being of the poor tea workers, we humbly request you to investigate this matter thoroughly and bring justice to the suffering masses working on tea estates. We request your kind self to issue orders for proper enquiry into the matter and blacklist the supplier, i.e., ABC Tea Workers’ Welfare Services, with immediate effect.”
