The closure and non-functioning of tea gardens owned by notorious tea tycoon G.P. Goenka had claimed nearly 360 lives by the end of 2015. The 16 non-functioning tea gardens were once a source of livelihood for nearly 29,680 permanent workers who worked there and the over one lakh dependents who depended on these workers for their sustenance. Lakhs of people, either working in the tea gardens or dependent on the workers’ income have been left starving as they continue to remain deprived of wages, rations, and health care facilities. On 6 January 2015, hundreds of CPI (ML) activists led by Com. Abhijit Mazumdar protested in Siliguri demanding the arrest and confiscation of the properties of the notorious corporate tea tycoon G.P. Goenka. They also courted arrest after a brisk scuffle with a posse of state policemen at Siliguri court. The protesters also demanded promulgation of minimum wages, proper implementation of Food Security Act and entitlement of homestead land to the workers’ families etc. In 4 other North Bengal districts namely South Dinajpur, North Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri and Coochbehar also National Highways were blocked for 1 hour from 11 a.m. through to 12 p.m. The activists were released later and they will continue the struggle till the demands are met.
