Jalpaiguri, Oct 11: Over 20,000 plantation workers in Dooar area of West Bengal`s Jalpaiguri district were facing starvation due to the closure of their tea estates for the past few months. Jalpaiguri, Oct 11: Over 20,000 plantation workers in Dooar area of West Bengal`s Jalpaiguri district were facing starvation due to the closure of their tea estates for the past few months. The Convenor of the Coordination Committee of Tea Garden Workers` Union, Chitta Dey said "workers of Dheklabara, Rohimabada, Ramjhora, Kathalgori, Supriya tea estates were in dire straits due to the closure of the tea gardens for some time." The committee comprises several unions of the tea estates in the region. "This time there will be no puja celebration in the families of these workers who are now even being deprived of the basic necessities of life like drinking water, sanitation, healthcare," Dey said yesterday. This has led to rise in enteric disease and malaria in the areas, he said.
Divisional commissioner Debabitya Chakraborty said the district administration has asked the chief medical officer of health and official of public health and engineering to inquire into the matter.

"The officials will make necessary arrangements for providing safe drinking water in the respective areas and arrange proper treatment for those suffering from enteric disease," Chakraborty said. Bureau Report