Socio-Economic and Political Problems of Tea Garden Workers: A Study of Assam

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The book is the result of intensive field study of the socio-economic and political problems confronting the tea plantation labourers of Assam. The morbid situation in Cachar plantations in south Assam, where most of the workers still live a life of penury, is also highlighted here.

The immigrant labourers of Assam tea plantations, being the victims of poverty, ignorance, illiteracy and excessive exploitation by the Zamindars and agricultural landlords, left their ancestral places a century and half earlier and settled permanently in different tea estates, have since then become part and parcel of Assam. These labourers gave blood, shed tears and worked hard day in and day out to turn the barren tracts into green patches of lush tea bushes producing the black diamond. It is true that the tea estates which sprawled in the shimmering sylvan valleys have undoubtedly the economic profile of the state of Assam. But the socio-economic problems of these workers continued to be deplorable. The fruit of the participatory democracy is still beyond their reach. The authors have critically analysed all these aspects in detail which may be helpful to the planners and decision-making bodies at different levels.

S.N. SINGH (b. 1935) who got his M.A. degrees in Geography and Political Science from Patna University served Cachar College, Silchar (Assam) as Head of the Department, Political Science, and worked at S.R. College, Kalain (Cachar) as Principal for 5 years. Dr. Singh got his Ph.D from North Eastern Hill University. Shillong on "Geo-political Study of Mizoram", worked as principal investigator on UGC- sponsored Major Research Project on "Socio- economic and Political Problems of Tea Workers of Barak Valley (Assam)" Dr. Singh participated in innumerable seminars, workshops at regional and national levels and contributed papers which have been published in different books. Besides academic pursuits he is associated with many social and cultural organizations in different capacities.

(KR.) AMARENDRA NARAIN (b. 1958) graduated from Cachar College, Silchar with Economics Honours and took his Post-Graduate degree in the same subject under Gauhati University and Ph.D degree from Magadh University, Gaya. He served as Lecturer in M.S.Y. College, Gaya for nearly 20 years before joining R.S.P. College, Jaintpur under B.R. Ambedkar University, Muzaffarpur (Bihar). He was also the Research Associate under UGC-sponsored Major Research Project on "Socio-Economic and Political Problems of Tea Workers of Barak Valley (Assam)." Besides, he participated in various seminars/workshops organised by different colleges/universities at regional and national levels and has presented papers in them.

PURNENDU KUMAR (b. 1964), MA. in Political Science from Magadh University and in Public Administration from North Eastern Hill University, Shillong) was awarded Ph.D. degree from Gauhati University for his dissertation on "Socio- Political Problems of Tea Garden Workers of Cachar Presently, he is serving as Senior Lecturer in Political Science, Cachar College, Silchar. Dr. Kumar has participated in various seminars and workshops organised by different colleges, universities and prestigious institutes and has contributed papers in the same.

The present volume is the result of investigation on "Socio- Economic and political problems of Tea Garden Women Workers of Barak Valley (South Assam)" sponsored by the UGC, New Delhi. This is original and most comprehensive work on the tea plantation in south Assam, which has remained unexplored so far.

The development of tea plantation in Assam is rooted in the history of India. It is summarized as the gift of the colonial administration being favoured by geographical and political factors which have paved the way for the early start of tea plantation in Assam. It started during 1840s in Assam Valley (Brahmputra Valley) and 1855s in Surma Valley (Cachar).

Tea plantation is an agro-based enterprise in which large number of manual workers are required round the clock. The workers both skilled and unskilled live within the plantation area. The success of the tea industry depends upon the labour whose strenuous efforts produce maximum green crop. The tea plantation workers play a significant role in the management of tea industry all over the world. Nearly half of the labour force is supplied by the women folk.

In Assam, the local labourers engaged in the early stage were found inactive, lazy and indisciplined and were mostly status conscious. Consequently, the colonial rulers and European planters decided to import labourers from the famine striken states (earlier called provinces) of Bihar (mainly chotanagpur). Eastern U.P., Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Andhra and Bengal where the workers were facing starvation. The poor, innocent and illiterate persons were misled by the recruiting agents (Arkatees). Many false and golden promises were put forward before them and they were lured under compelling circumstances; and they came to Cachar with hungry stomach and empty bowls. Fortune did not smile on them and they had to face untold miseries in the early part of the tea plantation. However, they were forced to settle permanently in different tea estates of Cachar.

Tropical plantation crops developed by external enterprise in the past century and a half have today gained a significant place in World Commerce. To producing countries, they have brought employment, exports and widespread use of once unproductive land. They have also brought, to the temperate climate consumer's important foods, beverages, and Industrial raw materials.

The Indian Tea, as the pioneer holds a distinctive place in the World Commerce. Not only is it the largest producer and one of the world's largest exporter the Industry is one of the largest and most enlightened employers in the Country, particularly of women and the underprivileged in less developed area. Few are aware of the enormous scale, depth, and breath of the developmental role the Tea Industry has played wherever tea is grown in India. Behind production techniques in field and factory, recruitment and care of workers, health, transport, selling, encouragement of consumption and other aspects lies an intriguing technical, social and political history.

In the early years in India, the initiatives of a brilliant succession of practical British planters and engineers affected steady progress despite immense difficulties. The odds were heavily against them. Only two things were in their favour. The first was their boundless belief in themselves. The second was the fact that they did not have to create a demand for their product.

For all of us who are aware of the history of Indian Tea, it is clear that Tea was growing in a number of places in Cachar and that by 1855, this fact had been realized. According to the reports of the Deputy Commissioner, Cachar in 1873 "the first gardens were Bursangon and Gungurpar Unlike the Assam Valley, the wasteland, tillah land, plateau and domed shaped hillocks in the Barak Valley. which were agriculturally unfit, were brought under tea plantation. The topography, soil, climate and infrastructure of Barak Valley were not conducive for growing tea.

**Contents and Sample Pages**