Ilam tea farmers begin protest

ILAM, April 21: Tea farmers in Ilam have begun protest demanding that the tea factories closed due to labor strike be reopened. The farmers have enforced transport strike on the Mechi Highway and surrounding areas along with protest rallies. They have also threatened a general strike if the factories do not reopen by Friday.



“Protests by the farmers are spontaneous,” said Govinda Dahal, the chairman of National Tea Cooperative Association. He further stated that farmers are not protesting against the decision of laborers to strike but are demanding that tea plucking in tea gardens resume soon.  



Laborers involved in shutting down factories are asking farmers to cooperate with them. “Factories are trying to bring division among us to frustrate the protest, so we should protest unitedly,” said Bhupal Sapkota, the chairman of All Nepal Tea Worker´s Union. Ilam produces about 120,000 kg of tea every day. 



MINISTRY URGES PROTESTERS QUIT STRIKE



The Ministry of Labour and Transport Management meanwhile urged all groups and authorities concerned to quit the protest and strikes in the tea estates and come for the talks, RSS reported.



According to a release issued by the Ministry, a serious discussion was held with the ministers, Constituent Assembly members, political party representatives, ministry officials, tea farmers of eastern Nepal and tea entrepreneurs in the presence of the Prime Minister about the loss incurred by the tea industry due to the strikes in tea estates.

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