Suspension of work at Sonali tea garden

Sonali tea garden, whose owner was hacked to death allegedly by its workers a week ago, today served the formal suspension of work notice.
The notice was put up at the gates of the tea garden in Jalpaiguri district, and district magistrate Pritha Sarkar confirmed it.
The future of a total 560 tea garden employees, permanent and temporary, have been affected by the suspension of work.
Following the killing of the garden owner Rajesh Jhunjhunwala after talks to sort out the dispute over payment of long-pending wage arrears failed, operations at the tea garden located in Mal block had virtually come to a stop.

Two persons were arrested in connection with the tragedy.
Sarkar said though the earlier rounds of talks between the workers, garden management and administration had failed, efforts were still on to reopen the tea estate.
She said fear has caused the doctor and garden manager to stay away and an atmosphere of fear was reigning in the garden.