GUWAHATI: The Gauhati HC observed in an interim order on Tuesday that till the court takes a final decision, the right to enhance the wages of tea garden workers should be given to the tea companies and “no coercive action” will be taken against them for not complying with the state government’s order of last month on upward revision of wages.
Justice Michael Zothankhuma, while hearing a bunch of petitions filed by the Indian Tea Association along with 17 tea companies, said in his order, “Liberty should be given to the petitioners to pay to the workmen any interim enhancement of their wages as they deem proper.” The court’s order suspends implementation of the government’s hike announcement for the huge tea garden worker force before the polls.
Assam has over 10 lakh tea workers in the organised sector working in 856 tea estates producing around 55 per cent of India s tea. Tea tribe communities are determining factors in around 25 to 30 seats in 126-seated Assam Assembly. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government, which after coming to power in 2016 had increased the wages of the tea workers by Rs 30, and on February 20 the state government decided to hike the daily wages to regular 7,46,667 tea garden workers by Rs 50 from Rs 167 to Rs 217. However, the implementation of the Rs 50 a day hike in wages for tea garden workers is likely to be delayed as a petition filed by the Indian Tea Association (ITA).