Manjolai tea plantation: HC seeks State government’s stand on rehabilitation of workers

Madurai High Court seeks State's stance on Manjolai tea plantation workers' rehabilitation, status quo maintained, detailed report required.

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday sought the State government’s stand on rehabilitation of Manjolai tea plantation workers. The court observed the status quo ordered earlier would continue.

A Division Bench of Justices R. Suresh Kumar and G. Arul Murugan directed the State to file a detailed report. In view of the earlier interim order no one should be sent out of the tea estate.

The court was hearing a batch of public interest litigation petitions filed by tea plantation workers and Puthiya Tamilagam leader K. Krishnasamy. The petitioners sought relief for the tea plantation workers. Earlier, the court heard the petitions filed by P. Amutha and A. John Kennedy. Both were tea plantation workers at Manjolai tea estate. Two more petitions were filed by E. Rosemary and Dr. Krishnasamy.

Ms. Amutha sought a direction to the authorities to frame a scheme for the rehabilitation of the families of Manjolai tea plantation workers, grant free house site pattas and construct houses for the families on special consideration. She also sought a direction to the authorities to provide employment to the family members and provide free higher education to the children of the workers.

Mr. Kennedy said the Tamil Nadu Tea Plantation Corporation (TANTEA) has created plantations in Coonoor, Kotagiri, Gudalur and Valparai to rehabilitate the Tamils who migrated from Sri Lanka. Representations had been made to the authorities urging the State to take Manjolai and other nearby estates under the control of TANTEA and safeguard the livelihood of the workers, he said.

Ms. Rosemary sought a direction to the State government to take over the tea estate under TANTEA, provide four hectares of land to the workers and grant monetary relief. Dr. Krishnasamy sought the cancellation of the voluntary retirement scheme offered by Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation to the workers as a one time settlement.

The company told the court that 25% of the amount under the voluntary retirement scheme was deposited and the remaining 75% would be deposited in a week. However, the counsel for the petitioners submitted that the applications were made not voluntarily but under compulsion.