Assam MP Pallab Lochan Das today made a forceful appeal in the floor of Lok Sabha demanding immediate amendment of the Tea Act and Plantation Labour Act to save tea industry of Assam or face serious law and order situation, even as panic has swept entire industry in Assam and North Bengal.
See the Lok Sabha speech of Pallab Lochan Das below
Making his maiden speech in the floor of the Lok Sabha today, he said that both the acts were legacy of British Raj and continued to the prevalence of the same have denied not only the labourers their basic right as a citizen of India but also damaged the operation of the tea gardens.
He said that tea companies are facing hardship as they are not getting price and above all, they are forced to pay Rs 350 per day wage as per the Plantation Labour Act.
As per the act the tea management have to provide ration, housing, health but in the same way that act also robs the facilities provided by the government every citizen of India the scheme like Rs 1 kg rice, Housing, health and education facilities.
The tea management has been lobbying hard for the repeal of this act for long but that has not been happening. The industry is in great crisis already and many staffers and executives have not been paid salary in some companies.
The tea majors like McLeod Russell and Tata Tea are in red . the former has sold off most of their properties while Tata tea is looking for an early exit from the tea as the losses have been mounting.
Here is the complete speech ofPallab Lochan Das, MP.
