Solution to plantation crisis distant?

With local bodies poll around the corner, ruling Congress-led UDF is keen to find an early solution to the week-long strike by plantation workers in Kerala, even as plantation managements today reiterated that they would be unable to pay Rs 500 as minimum daily wage.
The managements met here today ahead of the crucial Plantation Labour Committee (PLC) meeting tomorrow, convened by the state government to resolve the strike.
"As the plantation sector is facing severe loss, at this point it is difficult to give Rs 500 as minimum daily wage to the workers," Association of Planters of Kerala said.

The agitation by workers had dealt a severe blow to the sector. Nearly three lakh plantation workers, employed in various estates in Kerala and belonging to various trade unions, are on indefinite strike since Monday demanding wage hike and 20 per cent bonus.
'Pembilai Orumai', a collective of women tea workers of Kanan Devan Hills Produce (KDHP) Munnar, who first spearheaded the strike to demand higher wages without the backing of any trade unions, have also re-launched their agitation.
They have said that if a solution is not found fast, they would boycott the civic polls.

Meanwhile, many workers said that though they are facing hardships, they would continue to agitate if their demands are not met. Workers from all plantations, including tea, rubber, coffee and cardamom are participating in the strike.

With the two-phase local bodies polls scheduled next month, the state government is also keen to find an early solution to the issue.
The PLC, which held a meeting here on Saturday last, had failed to arrive at a consensus wage hike, following which the workers had gone on strike.
Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said the government will not allow anyone to take the law into their hands and disrupt normal life.
"We cannot allow roads to be blocked causing disruption of normal life of public. Government will not remain a mute spectator," he said.