Manjolai tea estate representatives deny human rights violation charges

Representatives of Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation (BBTC) Limited, which is administering Manjolai tea estate in the Western Ghats beyond Manimuthar in the district, met here on Friday the two-member National Human Rights Commission team which is probing alleged human rights violations in the tea estate.

As the BBTC has proposed to stop its operations of the tea estate as its lease period is about to end in 2028 and hence the administration has offered voluntary retirement scheme for its workers living in Maanjolai, Naalumukku, Kaakkachi and Ooththu after operations at Kuthiraivetti was stopped long back. While a section of the workers accepted the VRS package and left the estate, a few others have chosen to stay back in their houses itself in the tea estate at four places.

When there were allegations that drinking water and power supply were cut to the houses in a bid to exert pressure on these families, complaints were forwarded to the NHRC, which has deputed the two-member team comprising Deputy Superintendent of Police Ravi Singh and Inspector of Police Yogendra Kumar Tripati to probe the charges.

Subsequently, the NHRC members have camped here since September 18 to inquire about the complaints. After meeting the tea estate workers at Manjolai, Naalumukku, Kaakkachi and Ooththu since September 18, the members met the representatives of BBTC on Friday.

Group Manager – Plantations, Mudis Group Office, G. Thimmiah; Deputy Group Manager, Singampatti Group, Manjolai, P.P. Battacharya; Sowmya Venkatachalam, Deputy General Manager – Legal, BBTC Limited; J. John Selvaraj, Officer, Administration and Accounts, Singampatti Group Office; T. Wilson, Section Officer, Manimuthar Estate Office, Naalumukku; and Ebenezer Babu, Field Superintendent, Manimuthar Estate, Naalumukku, met the NHRC members to present their case about the alleged human rights violations.

The BBTC representatives categorically denied the human rights violation charges that drinking water and power supply to the houses of the workers were cut after they refused to cooperate with the BBTC administration’s voluntary retirement scheme.

The NHRC team will complete the probe on Saturday (September 21) and later file their report.

Published - September 20, 2024 08:41 pm IST