NHRC expresses concern over plight of tea workers in West Bengal

New Delhi, Aug 17 (UNI) Expressing concern over the sorry plight of workers in tea estates of West Bengal, the National Human Rights Commission has described it as a "serious issue of violation of human rights".

Taking cognizance of a report captioned "Death on the Leaves" that appeared in The Week dated May 27, the commission said,''as the West Bengal Government trumpets neo-industrialist policy, migrant workers of the tea industry - one of the oldest industry in the state - are crying for help.

The report mentions that tea estataes of West Bengal have turned ''graveyards,'' with deaths of over 750 workers in the past one year. It says that of 131 tea gardens in Jalpaiguri and Coochbehar districts, 18 have been closed, leading to starvation and ailments that have driven people to suicide.

''The contents of the press report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of poor labourers and women,''the NHRC said and asked the the West Bengal Chief Secretary to send a factual report to the commission within four weeks.

UNI