Tea garden workers in Bengal: 'No banks close by, delay in wages could lead to starvation'

[Tea Plantation Workers - Related News]

A state minister has claimed that continued "delay" in wage payments to tea plantation workers in North Bengal could lead to starvation. Speaking at a series of agitations that the TMC held in the region on Tuesday, north Bengal development minister Goutam Deb said, “Since most don’t have bank accounts, they will face problems in withdrawing wages from banks. The nearest banks are located around 10-15 km away. They will lose a day’s wages if they go to banks to withdraw their cash. These poor people have no alternative source of income and ultimately it will lead to starvation of the tea workers,” he said.