Supreme Court Summons Assam Chief Secretary to Address Unpaid Dues for Tea Garden Workers

New Delhi:The Supreme Court of India has summoned Assam’s Chief Secretary to appear before the bench on November 14, 2024, in a case concerning the long-overdue payments owed to tea garden workers in the state. This summons follows a contempt petition that has persisted since 2012, addressing the unpaid salaries and allowances for workers employed by Assam Tea Corporation Limited (ATCL).The directive from a bench comprising Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice Augustine George Masih reflects the Court’s growing impatience with the Assam government’s lack of action. The judges noted that while ATCL has generated a rental income of Rs. 38 crores, workers have not received their wages. Justice Oka emphasized that the state entity must ensure that its workers are compensated appropriately, stating, “The Chief Secretary must provide a serious answer regarding the absence of efforts to settle the dues of these workers who have toiled in state-owned tea estates.”The Court has raised the possibility of selling state-managed tea estates if the government is unable to manage them effectively, suggesting this could provide the necessary funds to pay the workers. The Assam government’s counsel defended the administration by pointing out that financial losses have increased due to lessees returning the tea gardens to ATCL, citing unprofitability.Additionally, the Court has issued a notice to the Union Ministry of Commerce, recognizing the central government’s shared responsibility in resolving this longstanding issue. This matter has its roots in a 2006 petition from the International Union of Food and Agricultural Workers, which prompted a 2010 Supreme Court order demanding the payment of Rs. 645 crores to 28,556 workers across 25 tea gardens, including 15 managed by ATCL.A one-person committee led by retired Justice A.M. Sapre evaluated the dues in 2020 and found a total of Rs. 414.73 crores owed to the workers, alongside an additional Rs. 230.69 crores owed to the Provident Fund Department. Despite these calculations and previous Court directives, the full compliance with the orders remains elusive, leaving the affected workers in continued financial distress. As the November hearing approaches, the pressure mounts on the Assam government to take decisive action to resolve this critical issue.