Plucking resumes at closed Panighatta Tea Estate

PRASHANT ACHARYA

PANIGHATTA, :A section of workers of the closed Panighatta Tea Estate under Gorkha Territorial Administration has started plucking tea leaves from Monday morning despite litigation at Kolkata High Court.

Around 150 workers, led by Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha leaders Nawraj Chhetri, Brinda Kumar Pradhan, Ajit Zimba and others, started plucking of tea leaves.

Meanwhile, around 80 tea garden workers are on relay hunger strike which entered 149th day today. The relay hunger strike is being led by Kishore Pradhan from BJP and Gorkha Janmukti Morcha leader Raju Bhatta.

The tea garden has been shut since October 10, 2015 after owner Shankar Sharaf cited financial losses and worker indiscipline as reasons for abandoning it.