SILCHAR, Oct 12 - If the words of a section of the people living in the Bhuvan Valley Tea Garden are to be believed, starvation deaths are nothing new to this garden owned by the Calcutta-based Bhuvan Valley Tea Company, and just when Durga Puja is knocking on the door, they are back to haunt the 600-plus workers and their families.
According to sources, at least four people, including a newborn have allegedly died due to starvation and lack of medical facilities in the garden since October 1. �The garden Manager RS Tiwari is traceless and the owners are beyond reach. We have lost our dear ones and are left in the lurch,� echoed the tea garden labourers.
It may be mentioned that a similar situation gripped the garden back in 2012, when more than 10 people had died.
Meanwhile, Jiten Sharma, Assistant Labour Commissioner of Cachar has asked a Labour Inspector to visit the garden and take stock of the situation.
On the other hand, Deputy Commissioner S Vishwanathan said that the district administration is focusing on giving all attention to the tea garden and pumping in all kinds of facilities, including medical and ration for the labourers. Talking to this correspondent, Vishwanathan said �it is not yet a case of starvation. The garden manager and other officials are traceless and we are putting pressure to the management to send their people to meet the financial dues and wages. If they fail to provide the labourers their dues, they will be responsible for violation of human rights.� The Deputy Commissioner further said that a medical team has been sent to the garden and the Sonai BPHC is monitoring the health issues of the laborers ad their family members. A few more cases of anemia have been reported and the medical team is treating upon the patients, he added.
