A tea garden labourer, who was among others left without resources at the closed Red Bank tea estate at Banarhat in Jalpaiguri district has died.
The 50-year-old labourer Buthe Baktha died yesterday, Dhupguri MLA Mamata Roy said.
This was the tenth such case after the closure of the tea garden on October 19, she claimed.
Confirming the death, CMOH Jagannath Sarkar said, "The worker died of lack of nutrition. We are giving medical help to workers who need medical attention.
"We have set up camps as the garden hospital is closed and workers have told us that they have no money to go to hospital," he said.
Ramendra Sarkar, a tea garden worker, alleged that at least 50 others at the closed garden did not have sufficient food.
Tea Garden union leaders said the workers were starving with most subsisting on tea flower.
"They do not have the physical strength to work for MNREGA programmes," they said.
The tea garden was closed since October 19 when its owner and other staff left the garden without paying the 800 workers their bonus and dues, they added.
