France 24 reports starvation deaths of Assam tea workers
W A Laskar
France 24 reports starvation deaths of Assam tea workers
After the Barak Human Rights
Protection Committee (BHRPC) released reports on deaths of workers due to
starvation, malnutrition and lack health care in the Bhuvan valley tea estate
of south Assam, many national and international media groups along with some
rights groups including the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) have taken up
the matter and in their own ways attempted to address the situation. Latest one
is a report that has been broadcast today by FRANCE 24 Television, an
international news channel based in Paris,
on the basis of the findings of an independent investigation undertaken by its
correspondents Natacha Butler and Vikram Singh. They found that people are
still dying due to malnutrition and several others are suffering from diseases
related to chronic malnutrition due to low wages and absence of medical
facilities in violations of laws passed by the Indian parliament as well as
international human rights laws.
The dark side of India's tea industry
Indians are the world's biggest tea drinkers and producers. Half of the country's entire output comes from the north-eastern state of Assam, but the conditions for many of those who work on its tea plantations are appalling. Workers earn well below the minimum wage and malnutrition is also common. Laws about facilities and conditions on tea estates exist, but many don't comply. Our correspondents Natacha Butler and Vikram Singh went to visit one such estate in the south of Assam.
By Natacha BUTLER / Vikram Singh
After this introductory text starts the video report which can be watched at Found at http://www.france24.com/en/20120518-india-tea-estates-assam-malnutrition-workers-rights
W A Laskar
The video report and discussion can be watched at http://www.france24.com/en/20120518-india-tea-estates-assam-malnutrition-workers-rights
Waliullah Ahmed Laskar (Wali)
Barak Human Rights Protection Committee,
(http://bhrpc.wordpress.com)
15, Panjabari Road, Darandha, Six Mile,
Guwahati-781037, Assam, India
Cell: +919401942234