चिया कमानको मजदुरको जीवनको मोल कति?

9:57 PM

•

social

सम्पूर्ण चिया कमानहरुमा काम बन्द गर अनि श्रमिकहरुलाई बन्द अवधीको वेतन देऊ!

DTA अनि CCPA को दार्जीलिङ पहाड़को चियाकमानहरुमा काम संचालित रा‌ख्ने कोशिशको घोर निन्दा गरौं!

विश्वलाई त्रासित बनाएको कोरोना भाइरसको महामारी विरुद्ध हर एक देश अनि संस्थाहरु एकबद्ध भएर सक्रिय रुपमा काम गरिरहेका छन्। हाम्रो देशमा पनि यो भाइरसको विस्तारलाई रोक्नको निम्ति सरकारले कतिपय मापदण्ड या नियमहरु तय गरेका छन्। सरकारले जनाएका धेरैवटा सावधानीहरु मध्ये 'शारीरिक दूरी' प्रमुख हुन्। यस विषयलाई प्राथमिकता दिदै सरकारले २१ दिनको 'भारत लॉकडाउन' को घोषणा पनि गरेका छन्। यस निर्णयलाई देश भरिका राज्यहरुले अनिवार्यतापुर्वक पालन गर्ने सहमति जनाएका छन्। COVID-19 को रुपमा प्रकट भएको विश्वरुपी महामारीलाई ठप्प गर्न हरेक व्यक्ति अनि सरकारको जिम्मेवारी बन्न पुगेको छ।

हालैमा कालेबुंग निवासी कोरोना भाइरस पिडित महिलाको मृत्युको घटनाले हाम्रो पहाड़ पनि भाइरसको चपेटमा आइसकेको कुरा प्रष्ट हुन्छ। उनको मृत्यु North Bengal Medical College, Siliguri मा भर्ना भएको एक दुइ दिन भित्रमा २८ मार्च २०२० को दिन भयो। पहाड़मा घटित यो प्रथम मृत्युले सबैलाई सोचनीय स्थितिमा पुर्याएको छ र सरकारी स्वास्थ चिकित्सा व्यवस्था प्रति धेरै प्रश्नहरू उठ्न स्वाभाविक नै हो। के सरकारले यस्तो संकटको परिस्थिति सामना गर्न आवश्यक तयारी गरेका छन् त ? के हाम्रा क्षेत्रका अस्पतालहरु आवश्यक चिकित्सा सुविधाहरू बारे सुचित थियो त ? सामाजिक संजालमा अडियो विडियो मार्फत कोरोना संक्रमित लक्षण हुने व्यक्तिहरुले उचित ढंगमा उपचार नपाएको गुनासो गरिएको खुलासाले हाम्रो सरकारी चिकित्सा प्रावधान कति जिर्ण अवस्थामा छ भन्ने कुराको पुष्टी गर्दछ। यस घटनालाई लिएर अस्पतालको अवस्था मात्र नभएर डाक्टर र चिकित्सा कर्मचारीहरु माथि प्रश्न उठी रहेको छ। तर वास्तवमा कुरा बुझ्नु हो भने यी प्रश्नहरुको उत्तर दिने दायित्व सरकारको हो। उपचार गर्ने डाक्टर अनि चिकित्सा कर्मचारीहरुले पनि सरकारद्वारा पाउनु पर्ने आवश्यक 'Personal Protective Equipments (PPE)' पाएका छैनन्। उनीहरु त आफ्नो दायित्वलाई पुरा गर्न ज्यानलाई जोखिममा हाल्दै भए पनि सक्रियतापुर्वक अघि बढिरहेका छन्।

Darjeeling Tea Workers

अर्को आश्चर्यजनक कुरो के छ भने, यस्तो महामारीको समयमा पनि दार्जीलिंग टी एसोशियेसन (DTA) अनि कन्सल्टेटिव कमिटि अफ प्लानटेसन एसोशियेसन (CCPA) ले चिया बगानहरुलाई पुर्ण रुपमा संचालन गर्ने मांग बंगाल सरकार सामु राखेको छ। विश्वभरिनै लॉकडाउनलाई गम्भिरतापूर्वक पालन गरिरहेको बेला हाम्रो चिया बगान कर्मचारीहरु भने आज पनि बाध्य भएर बगान धाइरहेका छन्। बंगाल सरकारले पनि यस मांग माथि विचार गर्ने कुरा स्टेट्सम्यान खबरकागजबाट बुझ्नमा आईदैछ। चिया बगान कर्मचारीहरुको हीत अनि सुरक्षा को जिम्मा DTA अनि CCPA जस्तो संस्थाहरुले लिनु पर्ने बेलामा, अझ कर्मचारीहरुलाई खाड़लमा हाल्ने मेलो गरिदैछ। DTA अनि CCPA का सदस्यहरु लगायत चिया बगानका मालिकहरुले दर्शाएको यस्तो असंवेदनशील निर्णयलाई हामी घोर भर्त्सना गर्छौ। के उनीहरु साँचै कोरोना भाइरसको प्रभावबारे अज्ञात छन्? या उनीहरुलाई लाग्छ, पुस्ता पुस्ता देखि घाउ, चोट अनि दु:ख खप्नु सक्ने कर्मचारीहरुले यो कोरोना भाइरसलाई पनि आरामले पचाईदिने छ। के चिया बगान कम्पनीले उगाउने भव्य नाफाको सामु चिया बगान कर्मचारीहरुको जीवनको मूल्य यति तुच्छ छ ?

पुरा पश्चिम बंगालमा लॉकडाउनको आदेश दिने सरकारले, कसरी चिया बगानका कर्मचारीहरुसंग पक्षपात गर्न सक्छ? चिया बगान र कारखानासंग जुडिएको प्रत्येक काम नै संगठित ढंगमा गर्नु पर्ने हुन्छ, यसैले 'शारीरिक दूरी' पालन गर्न असम्भव छ। चिया बगान खोलिनु नै यहाँ काम गर्ने कर्मचारीहरुको ज्यानलाई खतरामा पार्नु हो अनि उनीहरुको वर्तमान अनि भविष्यलाई जोखिममा हाल्नु हो। कथांकल दुर्भाग्यवस भोलीको दिनमा केहि क्षति पुग्न गए, के बंगाल सरकार, DTA अनि CCPA ले सम्पूर्ण चिया बगान कर्मचारीहरुको अनि उनीहरुको भावी पिडाको जिम्मेवारी लिने छन् त? त्यस बखत शायदै DTA अनि CCPA ले निर्धारित गरेको चिया बगान केन्द्रित 'Strict Safety and hygiene guidelines' प्रभावशालि हुने छन्।

विशेषगरि, DTA अनि CCPA को मांगबारे स्थानीय प्रसाशन (GTA) अनि अरु राजनैतिक दलहरुको परिप्रेक्ष्य बारे केहि प्रश्न गर्न चाहन्छौ। प्रथम, DTA र CCPA ले गरेको मांग अनि कर्मचारीहरुको सुरक्षाबारे विवाद हुँदा, GTA का प्रतिनिधि, दार्जीलिंग जिल्लाको MP अनि MLA हरुको के-कस्ता प्रतिक्रियाहरू आएका छन् ? दोश्रो, यस्तो विवाधित क्षणमा पहाड़को स्थानीय राजनैतिक दलहरु साँचै नै श्रमिकवर्गको जीवन र सुरक्षाको अधिकारको पक्षमा छ भने, किन DTA र CCPA को निर्णयको विरुद्ध किन निमुखा दर्शक बनिरहेको छन् त ? यदि आफ्नो राजनैतिक सहायकहरुलाई खुशी पार्न मात्रै राजनीति गर्न हो भने, आफ्नो कुम्लो कटेरो बाँधे हुन्छ। तेश्रो, एकातिर हाम्रो राजनैतिक प्रतिनिधिहरु मुख्यत: सांसद क्षेत्रको भावी योजनाहरूबारे ट्वीट गर्नमै व्यस्त देखिन्छ भने अर्कोतिर DTA र CCPA को हालैको निर्णयलाई लिएर आफ्नो मन्तव्य राख्नबाट टाढ़िएको सर्वविदित नै छ। उता पहाड़का तिन विधायकहरुले पनि DTA र CCPA को अमानविय निर्णय, जसले हजारौ श्रमिकहरुको ज्यानलाई जोखिममा पारेको छ, त्यस विरुद्ध चुँ सम्म पनि गरेका छैनन्। राज्य सरकार, विधायकहरु र सांसद, मालिक पक्षले खुल्लम-खुल्ला श्रमिक बर्गको जीवन र सुरक्षाको अधिकारको हनन् गरेको देख्दा देख्दै पनि सबै किन‌ मौन छन् ? उनीहरुको मौनताले हामीलाई यो प्रश्न तेर्साउनुमा मजबूर गर्छ कि, के सरकार, विधायकहरु र सांसद, उही मुट्ठीभर मालिक पक्षले मात्र बनाएको हो ? हाम्रो प्रतिनिधिहरु यस्ता विपतको क्षणमा पनि DTA र CCPA को कमानलाई संचालित राख्ने अमानवीय र निन्दनीय कोशिशको विरुद्धमा एक शब्द पनि किन बोल्नु सकिरहेको छैन त ?

यसै संदर्भमा हाम्रो छिमेकी राज्य आसम सरकारले २१ मार्च २०२० को दिन नोटिफिकेसन नो: L.E.16/2018/4035-98 मार्फत चिया बगानहरुलाई पूर्णरुपमा लॉकडाउन गर्ने आदेश दिएका थिए। यस नोटिफिकेसन अनुसार चिया बगानको लॉकडाउन साथसाथै कर्मचारीहरुले पाउने हाजिरा, उनीहरुको रोजगार अनि अधिकारहरु माथि ठप्प नलागिने निर्णय लिएका थिए। तर हालैमा चिया कमानको मालिक वर्गहरुको प्रेसरमा आएर आसम सरकारले आफ्नै निर्णय फिर्ता लिने भएका छन। र यस्तो स्थितिमा हाम्रो पनि क्षेत्रको जन प्रतिनिधिहरुको साथै राजनैतिक दलहरुको मौनता, DTA र CCPA को निवेदन, बंगाल सरकारको मनोवृत्ति हेर्दा मालिकवर्ग संग केन्द्र र राज्य सरकार दुवै मिलेर मजदुरहरुको जीवन संग खेलवाड गर्दैछन् भन्ने कुरा बोध हुन्छ। के चिया बगानहरु पृथ्वीमा नभएर अर्कै ग्रहमा छन् जहाँ कोरोनाको खतरा छैन ? के चिया बगानको मजदुरहरु 'Right to life and safety' देखि वञ्चित छन्? बंगाल सरकारले DTA अनि CCPA को मांगलाई स्वीकार गर्नु नै मजदुरहरुको विरुद्ध उभिनु हो। यस्तो अमानवीय सोंचको हामी कडा शब्दमा खण्डन गर्छौ।
जब सम्पूर्ण विश्वनै एकबद्ध भइ यो महामारीको विरुद्ध संघर्ष गर्न कम्मर कसी रहेको छ भने यहाँ दार्जीलिंगमा चाहिं केहि तुच्छ विचार भएका चिया कमानका मालिकहरु र उनीहरुका चम्चाहरुले DTA र CCPA को संकीर्ण स्वार्थ पूर्ति हेतु कमानको काम बन्द हुन नदिने निर्णय लिएको छ। विधित नै छ कि चिया कमानमा काम गर्ने मजदूरहरु अधिकांश नै गोर्खा अनि आदिवासी समुदायकाहरु छन्। त्यसैले मालिक पक्षको कमानलाई सुचारु राख्ने निवेदनले उनीहरुको क्रुर परजीवी मानसिकतालाई अभिव्यक्त गर्दछ। DTA अनि CCPA ले मजदूरहरुलाई कामबाट केहि दिन विश्राम, राशन पानी, अग्रिम बेतन आदि सुविधाहरु प्रदान गर्नको सट्टा कमानको काम चालु राख्ने निवेदन टक्राई आफ्नो शोषक परजीवी प्रवृतिको झलक स्पष्ट देखाएको छ। हामी मालिक पक्षको यो अमानवीय निर्णयको कडा शब्दमा भत्सर्ना गर्दछौ अनि यो संकटको समयमा मजदुरवर्ग संग काँधमा काँध मिलाई उनीहरुको अधिकारको निम्ति आवाज उठाउन कटिबद्ध छौ।

यसर्थ सरकार समक्ष हामी यो मांग राख्दछौ कि भारत लॉकडाउनको अवधि चियाकमानहरु सम्पूर्ण रुपमा बन्द राखियोस अनि चिया श्रमिकहरुलाई अग्रिम वेतन, राशन पानी, स्वास्थ्य सेवा र अन्य सहुलियतहरु समयमा प्रदान गरियोस्!

सरकारी स्वास्थ्य व्यवस्थाको हालत बुझी सकेको छौं, हामी आफै सचेत र सावधान भएर घर भित्र नै बसौं, शारीरिक दुरी पालन गरेर कोरोनाको प्रकोपबाट बाचौं र अरुलाई पनि बचाउँ!   
      
गोर्खा स्टूडेंट्स, जे.ऐन.यू               ०२.०४.२०२०

READ MORE

Racism in the time of Corona!

2:40 PM

•

social

Racism in the time of Corona!
Nothing can be an excuse to be Racist!

As the pandemic of Corona virus is spreading throughout the world, it is not only spreading fear but also bringing forth the worst face of Racism across the world. The Asian communities residing in Europe and US are facing constant hostility and racial abuses on account of spread of Corona. So is the case with India. As reported in some social media and published in the Indian Express yesterday, some female students from Darjeeling and Sikkim were racially abused and discriminated in many parts of Kolkata. A person racially abused some students calling them ‘Corona’. Even when confronted for his racist remarks, the person seems out rightly unapologetic about his wrong doing. A student shared his experience saying that people refused to sit near him, even when the public transportation was crowded. Since the news about spread of Corona from China to rest of the world, people with Mongoloid features (from North East states, Darjeeling, Ladakh etc) have been target of racial abuse in many parts of country. Though people with Mongoloid features in India face racism in everyday lives and is not a new thing for us but to face such discrimination and abuses at a time of major health crisis is truly disgusting and deplorable. We express our unconditional solidarity with the aggrieved students and vehemently condemn this racist act in strongest possible words. We demand immediate strong legal action against such racists under appropriate provisions of IPC. The larger society should also deeply introspect on their discriminatory, irrational and inhuman practice of Racism.

An Appeal to the Govt. and People of Darjeeling, Dooars and Terai to take measures against spreading of Corona virus

Darjeeling, Dooars and Terai region is situated in a very vulnerable zone, as we share borders with countries like Nepal & Bhutan and with other Indian states. The neighbouring state Sikkim and country Nepal has already started taking strict preventive measures. The closing of schools/colleges/universities are a welcome move but the administration needs to take further concrete precautionary steps in our region. We cannot afford to remain complacent. The government should introduce screening test (thermal fever testing) in Bagdogra Airport and at other entry points into our region. We also appeal to the people to voluntarily postpone/delay all social gatherings (marriage, community meetings etc), religious, political, cultural or festival gatherings, and sports events for coming 30 days. Even the arrival of domestic tourists should be stopped for at least 30 days in our region. In larger public interest, even malls and cinema halls should be closed for next 30 days. Even countries which have good government health facilities like Italy are facing difficulties in controlling the spread of the corona virus, so prevention of spreading of the virus is the best strategy to fight against it. We would like to appeal to the public not to believe in any unsubstantiated rumours, fake news circulated in social media and unscientific claims (like alcohol consumption, ayurvedic medicine or consumption of Cow Urine /cow dung curing Corona) regarding this disease. Measures like regularly cleaning hands with soap, using hand sanitizer, avoiding crowed places, avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth, should be followed. Let us all follow WHO guidelines (https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses), coordinate and cooperate with government health officials and follow their directions in case of any further development. Right now we should not Panic but we should definitely be extra careful and take all precautionary measures!

At this difficult time, let us unite and collectively fight against both Corona and Racism!

Gorkha Students, JNU                                 
18.03.2020

READ MORE

GlenburnTea Worker has to pay 188 days of work to stay in their Resort

8:58 AM

•

Tea Wage Movement

IS IT FAIR: Glenburn Tea Garden Workers Will Have to Work 188 Days to Afford One Night Stay in Their Resort

Various terms are used to make the tourism-based out of tea gardens sound romantic - 'Heritage Tea Tourism" though is the most popular. Not many bother to ask whose heritage?

These days the companies that own tea gardens are also running exorbitantly priced tourism operations. Without any of the benefits trickling down to the actual tea garden workers. They have no share in profit earnings from the tea gardens or the tourism that is run in their backyard.

The subversion of tea gardens, into a tourism hub has been very subtle and on the very sly. There is no provision under the West Bengal Estates Acquisition Act, 1953, for such subversions of tea garden lands. The act specifically specifies that "the land can only be leased out for tea cultivation. The lessee or the company, without reducing the plantation area, may use the land for horticulture and growing medicinal plants on an area not more than 3 percent of the total grant area of the garden."

Yet numerous tea companies are running tourism activities, with whose permission?

Look at this, a one night stay for an individual at Glenburn Tea Estate costs roughly Rs 25000 per night. Yes, it includes food and transport and other facilities for the guest.

But do a rough math.

To be able to afford to stay ONE NIGHT at Glenburn Tea Tourism resort and enjoy the associated facilities, a tea garden worker from Glenburn has to work for 188 days - over 6 months, (assuming s/he can save all her/his wages during that time).

IS IT FAIR?

The tea garden workers are only asking for the implementation of the Minimum Wages Act in the tea gardens of Darjeeling and Dooars. All of your support is needed.

Via DAWN

READ MORE

Separate ministry or policy for mountainous state - IMI

6:35 AM

•

social

Separate policy push for mountain states

Vivek Chhetri (Telegraph)

Darjeeling: A civil society group seeking separate development policies for hill states renewed its demand on Friday at a meeting in Darjeeling attended by representatives from 12 hill states.

The Integrated Mountain Initiative (IMI), floated in 2011, draws members from different walks of life including bureaucracy, politics, academicians and students among others.

"We believe (government) policies do not really take into the account the realities in mountainous areas. The schemes are drawn up in Delhi and many of the schemes and policies are more suited for the plains," Fantry Mein Jaswal, secretary of the IMI, said after the meeting on Friday.

The IMI has representatives in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Bengal (Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts) and Assam (Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao).

"Probably, (we need a) separate ministry for mountainous states or at least separate policies for hilly states," said Jaswal.

Some changes appear to be taking shape after the IMI's efforts. The ministry of environment, forests and climate change has now created a separate mountain division.

But more needs to be done, IMI representatives stressed and added that most chief ministers of these states had warmed up to the idea. "We have been holding annual summits since 2012 and have been working on different fronts," said Jaswal.

"The project will continue till March 2019 and an Indian Himalayan Region level compendium will be complied to look into these issues," said Praful Rao, president of the Darjeeling Himalayan Initiative (DHI).

"We had the first meeting in Darjeeling. Such consultative work will be held in all hill states," Rao added.

READ MORE

All you want to know about AAY Ration Cards in Darjeeling

8:45 AM

•

West Bengal

NO!! AAY Ration Cards Won’t Make You A Refugee – Know the TRUTH About AAY Ration Cards

Writes: Upendra

Darjeeling is a strange land, here people don’t bother with issues that should actually concern them, but they will happily believe in rumors, and start to outrage.

Some of you may remember when a rumor started that “SALT (of all the things on earth) was running out of stock,” and our people rushed in like crazy to shops buying numerous kilos of salt at triple the price.

A few months ago, rumor spread that keeping a bottle filled with blue liquid will keep your house safe from stray dogs peeing into it. In every neighbourhood in Kurseong, you could see people dangling a bottle full of blue liquid, many of which were themselves getting peed on gleefully by the neighbourhood dogs.

Such is our land.

So it comes as no surprise that today OVER SMART idiots are rushing in to spread panic among the people that the digital ration cards being distributed puts us under AAY status, which will make us “Sukkumbasi”. Even those OVER SMART morons who till four or five days ago didn’t know what “Sukkumbasi” actually means, are busy commenting online and spreading rumor on the ground that Bengal government is hell bent on making us “Sukkumbasi” by issuing AAY ration cards.

TRUTH About AAY Ration Cards

Numerous people, many of whom are readers here in TheDC have shown their concerns but many are simply based on rumors that have spread to such a proportion that it appears that people are actually believing in them, here are sharing some FACTS in the Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) format. Some may refer to as "AAY Guide for the Dummies” so that everyone can under the issues involved.

Q. WHAT IS AAY?
Answer: AAY means Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) initiated by the Govt. of India in 2000, which aimed at reducing hunger among the poorest segment of the population by making Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) benefits more substantial in terms of both nutrition and cost. In West Bengal, AAY was introduced in October 2001.

AAY contemplates identification of poorest of the poor families from amongst BPL families covered under TPDS and providing them with 35 kgs of foodgrain at a highly subsidized rate of 2 per kg for wheat and 3 per kg for rice.

Q. WHY IS EVERYONE IN DARJEELING INCLUDED UNDER AAY?
Answer: This is a complicated question, but here is a layman’s answer – i) due to the laziness of the West Bengal government ii) Seeding the grounds for Upcoming Elections.

i) Due to the laziness of the West Bengal government
Under the regulations, the identity of the families eligible for AAY have to be made by local elected representatives - Panchayat and Municipal Commissioners. However, due to the laxity on the part of WB government they could not fulfill this duty.

In a Supreme Court ordered investigation a report was prepared in 2011 “Food Entitlements in West Bengal: Survey on Supreme Court Orders,” wherein it was found that, “the state [Bengal] government is providing subsidised food grains to less than sanctioned quota of 35.66% of the population.”

Remember, Darjeeling hasn’t had Panchayat elections since 2000, so majority of our people deserving of this facility were being denied the same since the time AAY scheme was launched.
Now, subsidies for these schemes come from the Central Government, and if a state is unable to show utilization, they do not get the funds for the same.

So there was this additional free quota which West Bengal government had to use, and by design or default, people in Darjeeling – those who needed to be brought under this scheme had not been properly included so far. Hence, before the 2016 elections were announced, Mamata Banerjee declared that she would include all the 'left out people' under subsidized ration scheme.
ii) Seeding the grounds for Upcoming Elections.

But most important of all, elections to municipalities will be held at the end of this year, and elections to GTA will be held in 2017.

So Mamata in all likelihood Mamata is giving this short-term benefit, so that she can come and say in her bhasan "hum ne aapko 2 Rs mein 35 kilo chawal diya hai.... aagar aap hume vote denge toh 1Rs mein 35 kilo chawal ka byawasta karenge"

This as far as we are concerned is an ELECTION STUNT.

Q. WHAT DID MAMATA DO?
Answer: On January 27th, 2016 Mamata announced a scheme called “Khadya Sathi” under which 7.5 crore people in West Bengal would be eligible for Rs 2 a kilo ration. In addition to AAY beneficieries, who will get 35 Kg of grains for Rs 2/kg, Khadya Sathi scheme includes:
1) Priority Householder (PHH),
2) Specially Priority Householders (SPHH) and
3) Rajya Khadya Surakhya Yojana-1 (RKSY-1)

All these cardholders will get 5kg of foodgrain per head per month, at the subsidised price of Rs 2/kg. The only difference between AAY and these other schemes is that, while under AAY people get 35 kg of food compulsorily, in other schemes you get upto a maximum of 25kgs. So if you have only 3 members in your family you are only entitled to 15Kg grains under other schemes, while under AAY you will get 35kgs even if a family has just 3 members.

Currently EVERYONE 9.2 crore people in West Bengal have been made eligible for subsidized ration, irrespective of their income.

Q. WHICH OTHER PLACES HAVE RECEIVED BLANKET AAY INCLUSION?
Answer: In addition to existing AAY recipients, the newly included group would include 33 lakh people of the Jangalmahal region, 12 lakh drought-affected people of Purulia district, 11.24 people, including tea garden workers and their families, 3.11 lakh Cyclone Aila-affected people, people living in the Hills region of Darjeeling, 3569 people of Singur who had lost their land, and 1700 homeless people of Kolkata.

Q. WILL AAY RATION CARD MAKE US “SUKKUMBASI”?
Answer: We can bet that majority of the people who are using this term, may have learned of it only 5 days back. To the uninitiated, “Sukkumbasi” means “landless” and is also synonymously used to denote "Refugees"… and no AAY cards will not make us landless or refugees.

Q. IF AAY WON’T MAKE US “SUKKUMBASI” THEN WHY ARE PEOPLE WORRIED?
Answer: We are not sure why people got this notion that including someone under AAY scheme will mean that we will be made to forgo our land rights. Those people who are spreading this rumor, and those believing in it need to get their head checked.

Ranchi has a good mental hospital.

Q. WILL HAVING AN AAY RATION CARD PREVENT US FROM GETTING LOANS?
Answer: NO, whether you can access loans or not will depend on the type of loan you are applying for, and also on many other factors including your Income. The only thing that WON’T EFFECT your loan application is YOUR RATION CARD.

Other than specific government schemes, how much loan you will get will depend on how much tax you have paid… as reflected in your PAN account. So pay your taxes on time and keep your income tax files clear, instead of worrying about a ration card.

Q. I AM RICH ENOUGH, I AM NOT - 'HOMELESS' 'COOLIE' 'TERMINALLY ILL' - I DON’T WANT AAY RATION CARD, WHAT CAN I DO?
Answer: For all those snubs out there, who are saying “we are not homeless, we are not slum dwellers, we are not coolies, we are not terminally ill” etc… here is the GOOD NEWS… if you are worried that having an AAY Card will impact your social status, then all of you can simply head to any Food and Supplies Office, and SURRENDER YOUR CARD.

When you do so, you will get an option to fill for other type of card, but remember, you will still get ration grains for Rs 2 a Kg, only this time your quanitity will go down from 35kgs per month, to 5kgs per person.

We are hopeful that this short Q and A will help majority of you to understand that imposition of AAY on everyone in the hills, is perhaps the ONLY GOOD THING, that Wasted Bengal government has done till date, and our people don’t want it cuz they are NOT “homeless, slum dwellers, coolies, terminally ill etc” harey…

What a joke… remember even Bimal Gurung and our MLAs and all the businessmen you see around will be carrying AAY cards, and while you OVER SMART individuals will perhaps go and submit the cards, as it hurt your ego at being given the same facility as a homeless person, these NOT SO DUMB POLITICIANS will continue to rake its benefits.

Under the law AAY should compulsorily include ‘ALL PRIMITIVE TRIBAL HOUSEHOLDS’ so we are guessing that takes care of all the people who are Tribal or, want to become TRIBAL…
Help us in spreading this positive rumor instead – AAY RATION CARD NA HUNE LE TRIBAL STATUS PAUNDAINA HARE…. Let’s see if this gets spread around like wildfire or not.

.......................
In all seriousness though, we request all our readers not to surrender their ration cards, as this is a Govt initiative, and it is benefiting us... given that the Central Govt is all for cost savings and removing subsidies, they won't tolerate this wastage of funds.... and we are 100% certain after the Municipality and GTA elections are over, Wasted Bengal government will remove majority of our people from getting AAY benefits again. So our honest suggestion is, ENJOY IT WHILE IT LASTS...

If you have to protest, then protest against imposition of Bengali language in our ration cards, instead of protesting against AAY status.

Via TheDC

READ MORE

Drinking water crisis in Barakothi in Mirik’s Panighatta tea estate

1:11 PM

•

Tea Garden

 Queuing up entire nights for a pail of water

PRASHANT ACHARYA

PANIGHATTA (MIRIK) 27 Mar 2016 The apathy of the political leadership and local administration has left the residents of Barakothi in Mirik’s Panighatta tea estate with no other option but to fetch drinking water from a considerable distance as the water available locally is too contaminated to drink.

The situation is expected to worsen in Barakothi in the coming months unless help comes by way of summer showers to replenish the area’s main water source, which is drying up quickly. There are 133 eligible voters in Barakothi from the 44 households in total, and they want to cast all the 133 votes to that candidate who would succeed in ensuring adequate and clean drinking water supply were he to win.

Barakothi has been deprived of potable water since October 10 last year, the day when the garden was shut down by its Kolkata-based owner. And there is no sign of the garden reopening anytime soon despite several rounds of meetings. When the garden was operational, a tractor used to supply water to Barakothi by fetching it from a source downhill some 1.5km away.

Drinking water crisis- file photo

Now, the residents have to trek the entire distance down to the stream where they have to queue up for hours and sometimes even entire nights for their turn. "The water flows in a trickle and it takes nearly an hour to fill a 20-litre jar,” said 65-year-old Maili Tamangni. “Sometimes during the day the water runs dry due to the heat forcing us to fancy our chances at night.”

Anup Thapa, a government teacher with Sishu Siksha Kendra, said the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration has already sanctioned Rs16 lakh for a water project and engineers have inspected neighbouring Potong tea estate where the main source of water is located. He also informed that work is going on to connect a pipeline to the main source, which is about 20km from Barakothi. However, the locals said such assurances come only before elections and nothing changes afterwards.



Via EOI

READ MORE

Bharatiya Gorkhali Welfare Association Initiatives

9:48 PM

•

social

Bharatiya Gorkhali Welfare Association is a non-political, non-profit social organization of the Indian Gorkhas of Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Bharatiya Gorkhali Welfare Association has done numerous services for the welfare of the Gorkhas in Karnataka. Some of its major activities are listed below:

1 . It has obtained a 2% reservation for Gorkhas under the OBC category for admission into government colleges in Karnataka after fulfilling certain criteria.
2. It provides scholarship to meritorious students from Class 1 to Class 10.
3. It has provided various vocational courses to resident Gorkhas.
4. It has been instrumental in procuring from the government 12 houses for resident Gorkhas.
5. It has held numerous cultural and sports events for the Gorkhas of Bangalore from time to time.
6. It provides a helpline for resident Gorkhas in times of emergency.
7. It is recognized by many areas and states in India including Darjeeling and Sikkim as a socially responsible organization and maintains good relations with major organizations in those areas.
8. It provides career counselling and placement assistance for the Gorkhas.

Bharatiya Gorkhali Welfare Association (BGWA)logo

CURRENT INITIATIVES

SAHAYOG – This is a BGWA initiative for providing free accident insurance to its members. It was launched on 25 January 2009 at the occasion of the 14th General Body Meeting of the BGWA. A group of students and members from the unorganised sector, who do not get insurance cover from their employers have been provided insurance. This initiative will spread to all the members of BGWA who lack such insurance cover.

BGWA can also arrange for health insurance to its members at a very low premium. Sahayog has entered into a partnership with a reputed NGO to help facilitate the paperwork and claims procedure for the insurance policy so that the members will have a steady support in their times of need. Additional facilities of Sahayog include opening of a bank account (with debit card facility) for the members from the unorganised sector.

AASHWAS – A BGWA initiative, is a series of career counselling, personality development and vocational training workshops. As an attempt to attain its objective of advancement of the Gorkha community, Aashwas (Nepali translation being "Reassurance") has been organised by corporate and industry professionals residing in Bangalore. With the enthusiasm and drive to share professional wisdom and acumen to the budding sections of community, Aashwas provides a ready forum to students and professionals alike, wherein ideas and concepts are freely discussed and exchanged - all within the hope that the younger generations of our community become aptly equipped to take on the professional world as and when they do so. To those from the non-corporate arenas, Aashwas is roping in stalwarts from respective industries in order to buttress their positions and growth prospects thereon. Kindly note that Aashwas is a social welfare initiative of BGWA, wherein NO remuneration has been charged by the professionals in mentoring the attendees. A list of Aashwas mentors have been prepared who will offer professional guidance to those seeking career counselling in various fields.


SAJILO - BGWA's initiative "Sajilo - Hami Sabai Ko Lagi" is aimed at sharing information amongst us, which would be useful in our daily lives away from home. We request you to email us at bgwabangalore@gmail.com any information that you may have on the areas listed below and the same will be posted on this site. If you would like to post details regarding "Sale of Vehicle & Furniture", please do provide your Name and Contact Number so that once the post is made,  interested people can get in touch with you.

Via bgwa

READ MORE

Manipuri Gorkhas appeal for protection of Constitutional rights

11:09 AM

•

social

Imphal, August 31 2015: Gorkha community leaders of the State have submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister today seeking protection of the Constitutional rights of Gorkha minority community in the event of passing of Bills as per the agreement between the State Govt and JCILPS (Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System).

Tracing back the history of first Gorkha settlement to the early 19th century during the reign of Maharaja Gambhir Singh, the Gorkha representation said the present Gorkhas of Manipur numbering about 50,000 - 60,000 are descendants of the earliest Gorkhas settled before 1951.As such, they should be given a status of permanent local Manipuri Gorkhas.

The land possessed and owned by the Gorkhas (both patta land and grazing reserve land) should not be affected by the proposed legislation as the Gorkhas owned the land under various provisions of the existing laws, it said.

The memo also clarified that the allegations labelled by different bodies regarding the exaggeration and projection of extremely high population of Gorkhas and its impacts are baseless and unfounded.

The contributions and sacrifice of the Gorkha commu- nity for the country should be recognized and honored and no Gorkha should be humiliated, tortured and harassed in any part of the State.

The unique history of Gorkhas of Manipur should be well recognized, the memo urged.

The signatories of the memorandum are Shiva Ku-mar Basnet, Pradhan, Kangla- tongbi GP, Bhumi Prasad Basnet, Member, Sadar Hills ADC, Hari Prasad Nepal, Gaon Bura, Irang Part-I, Ganesh Ghimire, chairman of Leimakhong Area Gorkha Association, Rajen Rai, secretary, Manipureli Kirat San- gha, Mani Kumar Limbu, president, Sanskritik Surak-sha Parishad, Manipur, Subol Singh, chairman, UKADS Laxmi Prasad Khatiwada, social worker, and general secretary of Bhartiya Gorkha Parisangh, NE.

The memo further pledged to always support the genuine demands of the people of Manipur under the provision of various existing laws and the Constitution.

It hoped that the new legislations would not infringe the Constitutional rights and liberties of the Gorkhas of the State.

Source: The Sangai Express

READ MORE

Siliguri Gorkha Manch - Executive Body Meet

12:12 PM

•

social

The recently constituted Siliguri Gorkha Manch, which says its vision is to work for the welfare of the Gorkha community living in Siliguri and the Terai region, on Friday conducted its first executive committee meeting where members discussed the organisation’s agenda going forward.

Siliguri Gorkha Manch - Executive Body

The meeting was held at the SGM’s Shahid Nagar office and was chaired by its president Sudha Passi and executed by secretary Suren Pradhan.

A two-minute silence was observed in tribute of former Indian president APJ Abdul Kalam. Pradhan said only interested persons will be given membership and nobody will be forced or persuaded to join the SGM. He said the admission fee has been kept at Rs100 and Rs30 will be charged as the monthly membership fee.

Anyone wishing to pay the entire year’s amount at one time will get a month’s rebate, said Pradhan.

The SGM office at Shahid Nagar will be shifted to a new place in the same vicinity, he added.

If you want to join SGM please contact:

President: Smt Sudha Passi 9749303339
Vice President: Sunil Rai 7602695372
General Secretary: Suren Pradhan 9851260369
Asst Secretary: Rajesh Chhetri 9832038778
Treasurer: S D Tamang 9593846380

Via - TheDC

READ MORE

Shoes for the runners of team Run with Roshni

10:09 AM

•

sports

Gorkha youth icon Roshni Rai, the famed marathon runner hailing from Kalimpong and who has been running for the identity of Gorkhas residing across India, has unexpectedly found a good Samaritan in Mumbai.

A diamond merchant Mr. Mehra with Roshni Rai

It is learnt from sources that the story of the runner and her flagship campaign ‘Run with Roshni’ was covered by a local daily of Mumbai which spoke of the struggle that she and her team faces to maintain the campaign as she is not backed by any public or government organisation. She and her team raises funds to support the ‘Run with Roshni’ campaign, explained the paper.

Later, she received a call from someone introducing himself as LB Mehra, who asked her to meet him at the city’s popular ‘Palladium Mmall’. When she did meet the caller, Roshni was over the moon to find that Mehra, a diamond merchant, had purchased 13 pairs of Nike shoes, along with three pairs of socks each for the team ‘Run with Roshni’, the total bill which amounted to Rs70,000.

It may be recalled that Roshni had earlier approached for financial assistance with local organisations of Darjeeling through several online requests, but nothing much was done for the team. Even the GTA who honoured the runner with the ‘Gorkha Gaurav’ award had failed to do what the diamond merchant has done so generously. (HS)

READ MORE

Siliguri Gorkha Manch Interactive Session Held

9:19 AM

•

social

SGM (Siliguri Gorkha Manch) held an interactive meeting at Himali Sahid Nagar yesterday and the meeting was presided over by Shri Bhim Yonjan, a renowned social worker.

Siliguri Gorkha Manch Interactive Session 

Distinguished persons of Sahid Nagar, Bhanu Nagar,Prakash Nagar and Gandhi nagar were present in the meeting.

SGM General Secretary Suren Pradhan addressed the gathering and told that "SGM is a non-political organization having equal distance among all political party and under no circumstances it comes under influence of any political party."

Smt. Sudha Passi, SGM President told the gathering that "we must be united and join hands for improvement of our community and alround development of Siliguri, as well."

Shri Dilip Tiwari told that vision of SGM is very good and we must join hands to make it strong.
Shri S K Lama, Smt Shanti Lama and Smt Radhika Sinha also addressed and told to make SGM strong and must keep it away from politics.

Shri Bhim Yonzon informed that, "Bhanu Jayanti was celebrated at a large scale in Darjeeling, Siliguri, Dooars and Sikkim but no news was there in leading English dailies which hurt our sentiments, secondly this year Dinabandhu Manch was only allowed to be used from 12 noon to 3 P.M and not pernitted to run the program till evening."

He stated that these two issues must be highlighted by SGM and it should reach Govt through SGM.
At last Suren Pradhan informed that a meeting will be held on 26 Jul 2015 at 10 P.M at Mangal Maity Bhawan, on that day ad hoc committee will be dissolved and a new and permanant body will be formed on that date, all are cordially invited.

Today at 10 A.M there is a meeting of all convenors at Gorkha Kalyan Sangathan Salugara so please do come and attend the meeting.

Other members of SGM present were Smt T D Bhutia, Shri N L Chhetri, Shri Rajesh Chhetri and Shri N L Sharma.

Via: TheDC

READ MORE

Police complaint against Darjeeling Red Cross for cutting trees

2:20 PM

•

wake up

Darjeeling 16th July: Early morning today, it surfaced on the social media that trees on the Red Cross premises in Darjeeling were being cut and the planks from these trees were being loaded into pick up vans. Later when it was revealed that they did not have any permission the forest  authorities seized Wood and also filed Police Complaint Against Red Cross.

Trees on the Red Cross premises in Darjeeling were being cut and the planks from these trees
 were being loaded into a pick up vans

The incident have raised the serious question of the very existence of the most prominent NGO which is housed at the same Red Cross building where it took place, the Federation of Societies for Environmental Protection [FOSEP], which claims to champion the cause of Environmental Conservation in the region.

When FOSEP had nothing to say or do when the trees were being chopped down right under their nose, the concerned and responsible citizens of Darjeeling and Let's Green Darjeeling(N.G.O.) with the help of social media (The Darjeeling Chronicle) have saved the day.

It all started when TheDC published a post  [Details: http://on.fb.me/1Of6qTC] on 14th July saying "Some people have been cutting trees in the Red Cross premises for the past few days... and it's two more trees out of the town landscape ..." and raised the questions like Who gave the permission to CUT DOWN these trees?? Why is FOSEP quiet?? Why are none of the NGOs or Civil Society members concerned?.

When the report led Ms. Sumitra Tamang, a member of the Let's Green Darjeeling initiative to step in Mr. Prem Moktan from Red Cross had the reason for falling those trees, "these will cause landslides or damage homes in the neighbourhood." Mr. Prem Moktan allegedly told her that, their plan is to cut down all the trees below Red Cross building, and plant around some Rhododendron sapling.

Following the report from The Darjeeling Chronicle, Darjeeling Sub-Divisional Land Reforms Officer confirmed that he had not given any permission. He then went to visit the Red Cross Premises and after inspecting the area found that Red Cross did not have any permission from anywhere to cut those trees. Finally he filed a complaint against Red Cross authorities for felling the trees without any permission.

With inputs from The Darjeeling Chronicle

READ MORE

Siliguri Gorkha Manch Draft Constitution Discussed

11:06 AM

•

social

Siliguri Gorkha Manch Draft Constitution Discussed - Permanent Executive Body to Be Elected on July 26th of July, 2015.

Siliguri Gorkha Manch Draft Constitution Discussed

SGM held an internal meeting of Ad hoc committee at its office Sahid Nagar yesterday, which was presided over by Smt Sudha Passi.

General secretary Suren Pradhan welcomed the members and after a 2 minutes silence in honour of Mr. Amar Rai one of the SGM founding members who had recently died, those present discussed and finalised the constitution drafted by Capt S D Tamang and it was unanimously accepted.

The ad hoc committee which has been running SGM will hold a meeting with its advisory body on 18th of Jul 2015 at 5 P.M.

A meeting of ad hoc committee will be held on 21 Jul 2015 at 5 P.M, where program details for 26 Jul 2015 will be discussed, on this day ad hoc committee will be dissolved and a new permanent committee will be formed.

An interactive meeting of SGM will be held at Sahid Nagar on 19 Jul 2015 at 5 P.M with the people of Siliguri Municipal Corporation Area, all are requested to join.

A meeting of all convenors selected from various places will be held at Gorkha Kalyan Sangathan Office Salugara on 20 Jul 2015 at 10 A.M.

If you want to join SGM, please contact:
President: Smt Sudha Pasi - 9749303339
General Sec: Suren Pradhan - 9851260369 Treasurer: S D Tamang - 9593846380

Via : TheDC

READ MORE

Siliguri Gorkha Manch - Connecting Gorkhas in Dooars and Terai

9:42 AM

•

social

The Siliguri Gorkha Manch is on a mission, to connect Gorkhalis living in Terai and Dooars region together and to assist them in their times of need.

Siliguri Gorkha Manch - Connecting Gorkhalis in the Terai and Dooars

This purely NON-POLITICAL Body, is a SOCIAL ORGANIZATION, which seeks to assist people and bring them together.

In their course of outreach, yesterday Siliguri Gorkha Manch held an interactive meeting at Oodlaabari which was presided over by Shri H B Chhetri.

General Secretary of Manch Shri Suren Pradhan addressed first and he informed the gathering that the Manch is a non-political organization and it Acts in social causes, and that it won't come under under any political pressure under any circumstances.

He fruther said that in Siliguri if any of our community members face problems then the Manch shall definitely help them... Even in the case of medical treatment, college or University admissions and such the Manch shall help the needy in legal and possible ways.

He informed that, anyone facing problem in Siliguri may contact us any time from any where but his/her case must be genuine, and deserving of the time and efforts on the part of the Manch members

Smt Mamta Lama, Shri Bhanu Prakash Marmik and Vice President Sunil Rai also addressed the gathering.

Mr Raju Nepali, Mr T R Chhetri and P K Rai from the locality warmly welcome the vision of Siliguri Gorkha Manch. They have also assured to organize a free medical camp and blood donation camp.

Via: TheDC

READ MORE

Awareness programme by SGM in Fapri

8:30 AM

•

social

Siliguri Gorkha Manch (SGM), being a social organization, is also committed to serve society selflessly at its best possible way. The representatives of SGM have been reaching remote areas, where Gorkhas people are living and making them aware of their basic rights and facilities provided by the governments, through interactive sessions with the villagers at their own localities. SGM also encourage people and extend their support to voice their fundamental rights / schemes provided by the government.

Awareness programme by Siliguri Gorkha Manch (SGM) in Fapri

Such interactive session with the locals was organized by SGM at Kholachand Fapri under Dabgram 1 Gram Panchayat on Tuesday. Meanwhile, a free Medical Camp and blood donation and Grouping Camp will be held in Singi Jhora, organize by SGM on June 27. Representatives of SGM, Mr. Suren Pradhan, Sunil Rai, Hari Prasad Sharma, Bhanu Prakash Marmik, Smt Sunita Bhutia and Smt Hari Maya Sharma were present and addressed during the programme held in Kholachand Fapri.
We appreciate the commendable social works done by Siliguri Gorkha Manch.

Source: DT

READ MORE

Gorkha Students, JNU Delhi speak up against state and the tea industry in West Bengal

12:42 PM

•

social

Gorkha Students, JNU writes Under the context of triparty talks for tea garden laborer's wage revision, Sending you the poster (Click Here) which we brought today in JNU campus in solidarity of the ongoing demand of the tea garden workers under the banner of Coordination Committee of Tea Plantation Workers Union (CPTWU). Behind the idyllic hills, the scenic gardens, the “romance of the two leaves and a bud”, and the “smiling faces” of the workers, what remains carefully hidden is the ugly truth of sub-human wages, more than a thousand starvation deaths, and seething anger. The ongoing wage negotiations in the gardens in the hills, dooars & the terai have yet again brought to fore what the West Bengal government and the industry wishes to brush under the carpet. It gives us yet another opportunity to speak up against the lies and cunning of the industry as also the complicity of the state in depriving the workers of their basic minimum level of sustenance.

The ongoing crisis in North Bengal, the historic demand for Gorkhaland and the solution provided thereof is reflective of the sustained colonial exploitation and domination which finds its most blatant reflection in the Tea industry, where “Darjeeling Tea” is romanticised. This region of Darjeeling Hills, Terai and Dooars is mostly featured by tea gardens and the population engaged in it. Approximately, 80% of the people forms the constituency fettered in this gigantic machine of production which is totally based on the exploitation and immiserisation of the working populace of this region since the days of British colonialism. The huge profits extracted from this exploitative tea plantations (according to the Darjeeling Chamber of Commerce, tea industry in the hills generates an average of Rs. 450 crores revenue annually, equal to that of the tourism industry in the region) has been in continuation creating a vicious cycle of poverty and continued appendage of the local work force for generation after generation for this industry.



We stand by the just demand of the workers to increase wages from Rs.90 to Rs.320. We reject the recent offers by the Planters and Government of abysmally low wage hike of just Rs. 21 and Rs.40 in phased manner in three years. We salute and stand in solidarity with the uncompromising struggle of workers for their rightful demand. Any attempt to break the unity of the workers or dilute the demands or betray the struggle must be resisted at all cost. We the Gorkha Students,(Jawaharlal Nehru University) stand in complete solidarity with the ongoing struggle of tea garden workers.

Our Demand to government and planter associations:
Increase the wage of workers from Rs. 90/Rs.95 in Darjeeling, Dooars and Terai tea estates to Rs. 322.

1. Reopen closed and abandoned tea estates immediately.
2. Casual labour should also be brought under the purview of Plantation Labour Act, 1951. 
3. Backlog of unpaid Provident fund and gratuity should be cleared without delay.
4. Declare and implement Minimum Wage for tea Plantation workers. 
5. Grant legal ownership of housing space to workers.

Submitted by : Dawa Sherpa - Gorkha Students, Jawaharlal Nehru University

READ MORE

Beyond a cup of TEA - Gorkha Students JNU

11:44 AM

•

West Bengal

Untold stories of hunger & starvation deaths of Tea garden workers in Darjeeling ,Dooars & Terai!
Behind the idyllic hills, the scenic gardens, the “romance of the two leaves and a bud”, and the “smiling faces” of the workers, what remains carefully hidden is the ugly truth of subhuman wages, more than a thousand starvation deaths, and seething anger. The ongoing wage negotiations in the gardens in the hills, dooars & the terai have yet again brought to fore what the West Bengal government and the industry wishes to brush under the carpet. It gives us yet another opportunity to speak up against the lies and cunning of the industry as also the complicity of the state in depriving the workers of their basic minimum level of sustenance.

Untold stories of hunger & starvation deaths of Tea garden workers inDarjeeling ,Dooars & Terai!

The ongoing crisis in North Bengal, the historic demand for Gorkhaland and the solution provided thereof is reflective of the sustained colonial exploitation and domination which finds its most blatant reflection in the Tea industry, where “Darjeeling Tea” is romanticised. This region of Darjeeling Hills, Terai and Dooars is mostly featured by tea gardens and the population engaged in it. Approximately, 80% of the people forms the constituency fettered in this gigantic machine of production which is totally based on the exploitation and immiserisation of the working populace of this region since the days of British colonialism. The huge profits extracted from this exploitative tea plantations (according to the Darjeeling Chamber of Commerce, tea industry in the hills generates an average of Rs. 450 crores revenue annually, equal to that of the tourism industry in the region) has been in continuation creating a vicious cycle of poverty and continued appendage of the local work force for generation after generation for this industry.

The minimum wage paid to unskilled tea labour in Kerala is Rs.124, in Assam it is Rs.158.54, in neighbouring Sikkim it is Rs. 200 while the same in Darjeeling comes to a meagre Rs.90. Even the minimum wage paid in West Bengal for MNREGA comes to Rs. 151. The tea workers in North Bengal don’t even get the minimum wage as they receive Rs 90. Mass casualization of workers is another problem because of which even the base minimum services (health, rations and lodging) that the tea estates were to provide under the Plantation Labour Act, 1951 can’t be accessed by a majority of its labourers. Whereas, the price of first flush (the costliest batch in the tea production cycle) is deliberately kept a secret by the owners to ensure that workers don’t raise their demand for higher wages.

Minimum Wage of  unskilled tea Labourer in different states

Although the wage of workers’ were increased from Rs.45 in 2001 to Rs. 90 in 2011, keeping the annual inflation in mind, this increase in wage was not sufficient enough to compensate the rise in prices. (Purchasing power of Rs.90 of 2011 = Purchasing Beyond a cup of TEA: Untold stories of hunger & starvation deaths of Tea garden workers in Darjeeling ,Dooars & Terai! power of Rs.120 in 2014) Therefore, keeping the annual inflation of 8% in mind, any increase in wage below Rs.107 (over 3 years) will not be wage increase at all but rather be a wage cut. Hence the current proposal of increasing Rs.40 in three years will be actually a wage freeze. Presently the income per annum of the management Rs. 48,72,477 which is 150 times more than that of the workers, i.e., Rs.32,400.

Mangers earn 150 times what workers earn.

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) too in its 2005 report clearly bemoans the sad plight of tea workers. It states that the Tea Board which is the regulating authority of the Tea Industry has failed to fulfill its stipulated function. They have continuously ignored wage and provident fund defaults of tea estates, while portraying this crisis only as a marketing mismanagement. The ILO report also suspects that there is collusion between the planters and the State which is highlighted by the non implementation of the Tea Act, 1953.

In the last decade more than 1200 tea workers have died due to acute malnutrition and starvation. As recent as January 2013, 95 workers of the locked out Dheklapara Tea Estate in Dooars sent a letter to the Chief Minister seeking her “order” to kill themselves because they were suffering from acute starvation. Studies show that 70% of the people of the closed tea garden suffer from chronic energy deficiency III stage. Such is the scale of deprivation and dispossession of livelihood. The Supreme Court’s order dated 06.08.10 categorically directs the Government of India to carry out its statutory duty under Tea Act 1953. The Act mandates the Central Government to take over the management/control of the tea undertakings/units (under section 16 B/D/E) and take steps thereafter to ensure that the interests of the workers are well protected and dues are all paid in time. Sadly the constitutional duty to uphold the ruling of the highest court of the country has not been carried out neither by the Central Government nor by the State Government. The tea workers therefore are forced to languish till they die of hunger and malnutrition. Such lack of empathy by the government towards the people living in that region is not just unconstitutional but highly criminal. Human trafficking is also very rampant in the region. A report of a joint study by Unicef, Save the Children and Burdwan University (in 2010) estimates 3,500 minors alone were trafficked from 12 gardens of Dooars only. It’s certain that the total number of people forced into sex trade will be much higher when we add up those from Darjeeling Hills and the Terai region.

Thus we must stand by the just demand of the workers to increase wages from Rs.90 to Rs.320. We reject the recent offers by the Planters and Government of abysmally low wage hike of just Rs. 21 and Rs.40 in phased manner in three years. We salute and stand in solidarity with the uncompromising struggle of workers for their rightful demand. Any attempt to break the unity of the workers or dilute the demands or betray the struggle must be resisted at all cost. We also demand: Reopen closed and abandoned tea estates immediately. Casual labour should also be brought under the purview of Plantation Labour Act, 1951. Backlog of unpaid Provident fund and gratuity should be cleared without delay. Declare and implement Minimum Wage for tea Plantation workers. Grant legal ownership of housing space to workers.

Submitted by : Dawa Sherpa - Gorkha Students, Jawaharlal Nehru University

READ MORE

Veteran gorkha social worker Devika Sharma passed away - Guwahati

1:15 PM

•

social

Guwahati 5th Sec 2014: Veteran social worker of the state Devika Sharma, 54, popular among the Gorkha Youths of Guwahati as Devika Bozu passed away yesterday at International Hospital at 11.35 am in the morning leaving behind her husband Krishna Sharma son Dipendra Sharma and daughter Ronita Sharma and host of well wishers and relatives. Guwahati City Gorkha Students’ Union condoles irreparable loss to Gorkha society

Veteran gorkha social worker Devika Sharma

Devika Bozu from her young age has been a motivator Gorkhali women folk around and was kind and generous person. She extended all possible help to the people who were in need. Socially active Devika Bozu played a pivotal role in forming the Greater Guwahati Gorkhali Mahila Samiti at the of her death she was serving the organisation as its Advisor. It was under her collective leadership that the ‘Teez’ nritya pratiyogita in Guwahati got support from masses and it was staged every year at Pragjyotika ITA, Machkhowa auditorium. She was also associated as advisor of the Nepali Mandir Prabandhak Samity previously Gorkha Panchayat of Gorkha Thakurbari now Nepali Mandir since a long time now. She has encouraged many youths and women in today’s generation to work for the development of the community. AAGSU Guwahati City committee General Secretary Resham Sharma and vice president Suman Rai are current examples of her blessings. Devika Bozu was known to have associated several civil society organisations working for women and childwelfare and always advised youths to be flag bearer of the community and society at large.
Here at Nepali Mandir today AAGSU central executive member and former publicity secretary Nanda Kirati Dewan who had worked closely with her on several occasion said,’Devika Bozu will remain inspiration for generations. Her words of advise to be a symbolic Gorkha is so relevant today, I deeply mourn her untimely demise. It is a irreparable loss to our Gorkha society’. AAGSU Guwahati City Committee General Secretary Resham Sharma condoled the death of veteran social worker and paid last tribute to departed soul on behalf of Gorkha youths of Guwahati at the cremation ground.
Her funeral last evening was attended by thousands of well wishers. The All Assam Gorkha Students’ Union (AAGSU), Guwahati City Committee, Greater Guwahati Gorkhali Mahila Samiti , Akhil Assam Gorkha Sammelan, Nepali Mandir Prabandhak Samity and several Gorkha civil society organisations have condoled her death. The Ardhya Shradhha will be held at Nepali Mandir, Paltan Bazar, Guwahati premises on 16th Dec 2014, Tuesday and the family member have invited all concern to pay tribute to departed soul.

Source: Nanda Kirati Dewan

READ MORE

JNU Gorkha Students Create Awareness on Condition of Tea Garden Workers Through Exhibition

10:56 AM

•

social

The Gorkha Students, a conglomeration of all Nepali speaking people from India studying in the Jawaharlal Nehru University held a photo cum poster exhibition in the campus supporting the demand for higher wages of tea garden workers in North Bengal.

JNU Gorkha Students Create Awareness on Condition of Tea Garden Workers Through Exhibition

The exhibition aimed at generating awareness among the student community of University highlighting the severe deplorable soci-economic conditions of the tea garden workers of North Bengal which is greatly manifested in abject malnutrition and high scale distress migration.

It also called into question the apathy of both the Centre and state governments who only pay lip service to address the crisis. This crisis has been accentuated by the high number of lockout and closed tea gardens in the region which has left thousands of people without livelihood and on the verge of death due to starvation.

The Gorkha Students (Jawaharlal Nehru University) has supported the ongoing demand of the Coordination Committee of Tea Plantation Workers Union (CPTWU) who have demanded that the present wages be increased from Rs 90 to Rs. 322.

Also, the Gorkha Students have condemed the proposed token hike of Rs.21 offered by the Planters Association or of Rs 40 proposed by the State government which they intend to implement in a phase of three years. Factoring in the spiraling inflation that has gripped the nation such proposed wage hike is actually not a hike but a wage cut and is a mockery of the just demands.

In this endeavour the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) too has extended its steadfast solidarity to the struggle and strike of the tea-garden workers in North Bengal. They called the current wages unthinkable and inhuman and that such exploitation must be widely publicised to shake the conscience of the modern, civilized world.

Others student bodies like the Democratic Student’s Union (DSU) too condemned the connivance of the state in offering only a token wage-hike. It stated that it becomes the responsibility of all progressive democratic sections to reject the farcical arguments of the industry and the state.

The Jharkhand Tribal Students’ Association of JNU also stated that it is high time that the government looked into the sufferings of tea estate workers and provided them with better education and health facilities.

The SFI also supported the initiative taken by Gorkha Students and stated that they believe that the demands of the tea plantation workers are just demands that needs immediate attention. The SFI also expressed concern over the complete inaction of the Trinamool Congress led State Government which has sided with the owners on many occasions even in the past.

Last but not the least, the North East Student Forum (NESU) of JNU also came strongly in support of the toiling tea garden workers and urged the concerned authorities to immediately do the needful to ameliorate the present

[Via: Barun Adhikary for Gorkha Students JNU]

Source : DC

READ MORE

What killed Supriya Lamgaday?

11:08 AM

•

society

 What killed Supriya Lamgaday? - Apathy of Delhi Police or Medical Negligence of Government doctors or Racial Discrimination! 
Some accidents are considered too insignificant to be mentioned anywhere or covered by the media. The bigger tragedy, apart from the irreparable loss of life, is the multi-layered nature of marginalisation, racial discrimination, injustice and negligence from the part of the police and the hospitals that are involved in the post-accident handling of many cases. For the relatives of the victim, the trauma of losing a loved one is also coupled with the jolting awakening to the feeling that-
‘I am nothing. The pain that I am going through, the threat to my life and the life of my near ones means nothing to those whose prime duty is to protect me and save me.’

Supriya’s family and close ones are haunted each day with these questions. ‘Am I, as` an Indian Gorkha, not even entitled to the basic rights enjoyed by other fellow ‘Indians’?” ‘Is my life not worthy of being saved in my own country? ’

This loss of faith massively erodes ones self-worth and confidence. It leaves a shock of hollowing insecurity that even time may never heal. Her family’s dissatisfaction towards the police and the hospitals they approached has been so stifling that they approached the Gorkha`Students of JNU to write about the ordeals and injustices they faced. It is indeed one of the starkest forms of blatant racial discrimination, negligence and highhandedness of Delhi Police and the staff some of renowned hospitals in New Delhi.

What killed Supriya Lamgaday?

Supriya, daughter of Chandra Bahadur Lamgaday, was a resident of Ward no. 9, Mirik, Darjeeling. She was 21 years old and had been working in Delhi for some time. On 3rd September, 2014 around 7:30 pm, while returning home from work with one of her colleagues in his motor cycle, they met with an accident at NH-8 Devarana farm near Mahipalpur, Vasant Kunj police station, New Delhi. As a car ahead of them came to a sudden halt without any signal, the car behind them also suddenly stopped causing their motor cycle to lose balance. The sudden brake caused Supriya, who was riding pillion, to be thrown off the bike. Upon falling, her head was hit by the car that was in front of them. Despite seeing Supriya lying injured on the road, the drivers of both the cars fled from the scene. Her friend, Vished, who was driving the motor cycle lifted up Supriya with the help of a couple on the road and put her into a car. She was rushed to the closest army hospital near Palam airport. There she was only given a bottle of glucose and some first aid for her external bruises. The doctor from the Army hospital (The Base Hospital) suggested she be taken to another hospital as the required machines (for ECG, CT Scan) was not available there. Supriya was then taken to Deen Dayal hospital at around 9.30 pm.

Precious time which could have saved a life was continuously lost even after reaching the hospital. When Supriya's mother reached Deen Dayal Hospital, she saw that her daughter was lying down in the emergency ward. She had not been attended by any doctor. The hospital took around half an hour to complete all the formalities before examining her as the accident had to be first reported to the police. While Vished was giving the FIR, one of the police personnel offered to hush up the case and help him escape from it if Vished agreed to pay Rs 30,000! How much more could the Delhi Police trivialise a fatal accident and try to capitalise from somebody’s tragedy? Supriya’s mother still remembers the smirk in the face of the police as he made a horrifically insensitive comment - ‘Teri beti to gayi!’

After much pursuance, the doctor from Deen Dayal Hospital declared that Supriya was in a critical condition. Despite this she was not given the required care and attention. Instead of the nurses, her friends were made to pump oxygen to make her pulse stable and had to repeatedly run after the doctors to get updates about Supriya's condition. Where were the trained nurses and technicians?

The doctor then informed that Supriya had to be yet again taken to some other hospital for a CT scan as the machines were not available in the hospital. Couldn’t this be told earlier?
The doctor wasn’t even willing to refer Supriya to another hospital. It was after many requests that the doctor agreed and referred Supriya to Safdarjung Hospital.

Until then, time was only lost with nothing concrete done to take her out of danger. Couldn’t a ‘qualified’ doctor immediately refer Supriya to the ‘AIIMS Trauma Centre’ instead of Safdarjunj Hospital?

Supriya was brought to Safdarjung Hospital at around 2 pm (or 12am???). Without proper instruction and guidance, time was further lost in taking the patient up and down the elevator more than 3 times just to do the X-Ray. In Safdarjung too, they were only informed that Supriya was in a critical condition but the doctors were neither willing to attend the patient nor do an ECG or any other tests. Out of utter desperation, Supriya's mother literally caught hold of a doctor. She shouted, screamed, cried and requested, all at the same time to get the ECG and other tests done.

All this while, Supriya – who had been twice declared to be in a critical condition- had not even been provided with a bed. She was kept in the corridor until the test reports arrived. After checking her reports she was provided a bed in the emergency ward instead of the ICU. The doctor then kept her in a ventilator and glucose.

Despite having a severe head injury, Supriya was not provided constant monitoring and observation by the doctors and nurses. Her family and friends again ran after doctors to get updates about her condition. The nurses were formidable and rude when approached. In such an alarming situation when the fear of losing her was driving them mad, the nurses asked Supriya’s family and friends to maintain silence. In one of the most renowned hospitals in India, Supriya was lying down battling for life with Only her friends to constantly check her pulse and heart beat. She still kept the hopes of her family and friends ignited by nodding her head to respond to their questions.

The next morning, all of a sudden, Supriya had difficulty in breathing. The doctor was called and he removed the ventilator without informing her family. Her attendants could not understand why he did so! Had she been left to die? They were asked to pump the oxygen manually without even clearly demonstrating to them the correct way of doing it. As her family frantically continued to pump oxygen, Supriya collapsed never to wake up again. It was 11:30 am, the 4th of Sept.

As Supriya’s mother, Ms Euden Ghissing and her relatives narrated the incident, we experienced the same hollowness of insecurity and extreme grief. Grief mixed with regrets, questions and wrath. The more we began to think, the more questions we asked to ourselves.

How ironical it is! Are the hospitals so busy that it can’t stop to save a life? Or is it too busy to stop and care for a patient from the North East? Who is the hospital for? Who are the doctors for? Who are the nurses for? Wasn’t Supriya Critical enough, Indian enough, Affluent enough, Important enough, Well-connected enough? To the police and hospital staff she wasn’t any of these, but she was definitely Critical and in dire need of Immediate Medical help! Shouldn’t that suffice enough for the doctors to get into action and for the police to extend all possible support to her family?

We strongly believe that although Supriya met with a serious accident on that fateful day, it was delay, apathy and medical negligence that took her life. Our deepest condolences are with her family and friends for their great loss. We appreciate their strength in standing up to recount every detail of the heart-rending incident so that we may be made aware of how little some hospitals in Delhi care about patients like us in grievous calamities such as this.
Is this kind of discrimination and vulnerability the fate of most of us who are migrant students and workers from the North East and Darjeeling?

We also offer our deepest condolence to the family of Deepali Kanwar (PhD scholar, School of Arts and Aesthetics, JNU). Deepali was a resident of Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh and did her schooling in Loreto Convent, Darjeeling. Deepali met with a fatal bus accident in Chandigarh on 24th August, 2014. She suffered from brain haemorrhage and her condition was declared critical when she was taken to the hospital. She succumbed to her injuries in 5th September. She received medical treatment from Sector 32, Government Medical College and Hospital in Chandigarh. Her family believes that her chances of survival could have been stronger had the medical staff been more receptive to their complaints and cautious in their treatment.

The impending question in health care in India is – ‘Whose Life?’ ‘Is it worthy enough to be saved?’


Submitted by Dawa Sherpa

READ MORE