Assam’s concerned trade unions held a public meeting at Guwahati Press Club on June 7, 2022 demanding that the public hearing report pertaining to the Doloo tea estate be made public.
On Tuesday, the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), the Asom Sramik Union, the All India Krishak Sabha and others jointly held a meeting to protest the alleged eviction of Doloo tea estate workers.
“Stop transferring tea industry land to other industries or other businesses. The public meeting decided to submit a memorandum signed by various labor organisations, democratic organisations, opposition parties and citizens to the Hon’ble Governor and Chief Secretary of Assam demanding a high-level investigation into the eviction in the name of construction of fake airport,” said the unions in a joint statement.
Assam Mojuri Shramik Union (AMSU) General Secretary Mrinal Kanti Shome present at the event also spoke about a to evict the tea estate workers to construct the Greenfield Airport in the region. Shome said this violates all provisions under the Land Acquisition Act and demanded the immediate cancellation of this decision.
“The Government of India has made it clear that it has neither proposed nor approved the opening of any greenfield airport in Silchar. The Assam government has not made any proposal to the Centre. So why were three lakhs tea trees uprooted from 2,500 bighas of land? There is a possibility of a deep conspiracy in this matter and therefore demands a high-level investigation,” said leaders.
On March 12, workers were shocked to see bulldozers enter the area and destroy their source of livelihood. While authorities cite an MoU signed by three major trade unions in the area, workers maintain that they were not consulted in the process.
As such, AMSU and similar organisations have talked about how many workers face the threat of unemployment if the project is approved. Regarding the unemployed permanent and temporary workers, members said they should be employed immediately. Further, they said compensatory fiscal amount should be paid to workers until employment cannot be provided.
After the March demolition, Section 144 was also imposed in the area, restricting the movement of workers. Leaders like AITUC State President Munin Mohanta said the police force should be withdrawn from the plantations to end police torture.
For all this, workers announced a plan to hold a protest in Guwahati in the near future. Other leaders like Asom Sangrami Cha sramik Sangha President Vivek Das, AICCTU State President Biren Kalita and AIUTUC leaders Pramod Bhagwati, TUCC leader among others also attended the event.
Prominent intellectual Apurba Bara’s written statement was read in the meeting.
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