DIBRUGARH, May 19 � The Assam Chah Janagusthiya Jatiya Mahasabha (ACJJM) has called upon the Tarun Gogoi-led State government to make provisions for appointment of at least 5,000 educated unemployed youths of tea garden labourer groups in various departments of Assam, stating that the number of unemployed in the plantations of Assam was rising.
The organisations� leaders said that the qualified and eligible youths from the tea gardens must be recruited into various departments like the police, education, health etc., in an effort to solve rising unemployment problems in plantations. The leaders expressed concern over the deteriorating economic condition of families in tea plantations.
�We have already submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister about growing problems in the tea estates due to unemployment. We urge upon him to act immediately as per his assurance in solving the growing problems of youths in tea gardens. So far, the Tarun Gogoi- led State government has done nothing substantial to mitigate daily problems of families in tea gardens. Low wage, high cost of living, rise in the prices of essential goods, lack of development schemes, infrastructure and services etc., has only made the lives of workers and their dependants worst in tea gardens,� ACJJM secretary Lobin Karmakar said.
The organisation has also asked the Oil India Limited (OIL) authorities to recruit youths from the tea gardens. �The OIL company owes it to the people of tea gardens since it destroyed plantations for oil exploration purposes. Therefore, it must compensate the loss by providing employment to TE youths. OIL must understand that plantations have been sources of livelihood for thousands of people since ages. Destruction of tea bushes means liquidation of livelihood of tea garden workers and their families,� said Karmakar.
