DIBRUGARH, Nov 28 - The office of the Assam Tea Employees Provident Fund Organization (ATEPFO) here has attached the movable and immovable properties of Balimara Tea Estate for defaulting in depositing provident fund of its employees amounting to Rs 1,97,47,669.10.
It needs to be mentioned here that management of the tea estate was not depositing PF dues from 1999 in respect of 717 workers. The tea estate belongs to Balimara Tea Company Private Limited and is situated near Naharkatia town in the Dibrugarh district.
Prior to attachment, the PF authority here issued Notice of Demand to the management on October 15 allowing them 15 days� time to deposit their recovery certificate amount. But the management failed to comply with the same within stipulated time.
As a result, ATEPFO attached the garden in the interest of the workers.
The attachment process was carried out by ATEPFO officials - Ghana Kanta Kalita, Assistant PF Commissioner cum Recovery Officer, Aparajit Dey, Fund Control Officer cum Enforcement Officer, Dulen Sonowal , Fund Control Officer, Dhiren Kurmi, Assistant Fund Control Officer and Niten Boro, Assistant Fund Control Officer of Dibrugarh Zone in presence of Boloram Tati, Secretary, Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha, Naharkatia Branch, Mridul Medhi, Secretary, Assam Chah Karmachari Sangha, Naharkatia Circle, Probodh Gosai, President, ACKS, Naharkatia Circle and other representatives of the workers.
Consequent upon the attachment, of the tea estates, the concerned management cannot transfer or lease out the movable and immovable properties. However, suitable steps will be initiated by the concerned PF authority to sort out the problems as per rules of the Departmental Act and Scheme, the authorities have said.
