HT Digital,
Baksa, April 24: The historic Fatemabad Tea Estate in Assam’s Baksa district has been permanently closed, according to reports.
This decision was announced through a circular issued by the owner, Rajesh Jalan. Previously, Jalan had declared a ‘Lock Out’ from April 19, 2024, claiming that the workers and other staff members decided to boycott work.
Jalan stated in an April 18, 2024 circular that all workers were absent from duties from April 2 to April 6. Although the tea garden reopened on April 8, the workers deliberately worked until 2:30 pm instead of 4:30 pm, causing a significant loss for the tea garden.
Consequently, the company decided to stop all tea garden operations from April 19, 2024. The company’s authorities declared a ‘No work, no pay’ policy until the issue was resolved.
Meanwhile, the tea garden workers have protested against the owner’s decision to permanently close the estate without prior notice. They claim that Jalan often threatened them when they demanded their deserved wages.
