Adivasi Tea Worker Dies After Alleged Starvation in North Bengal

In a tea garden in North Bengal, a 58-year-old Adivasi worker died of alleged starvation after he was unable to obtain food from government sources and allowance from the tea estate where he worked, according to activists who spoke to Down to Earth.

The late worker has been identified as Dhani Oraon of Kalchini block in Alipurduar district and he worked at the Madhu Tea Garden, the Down to Earth reported. He passed away on February 2 this year.

A detailed report on the incident has been published by a fact-finding team comprising members of the Paschim Banga Cha Majoor Samity or PBCMS, the Right to Food and Work Campaign and two advocates.

The report stated that the body mass index (BMI) of Oraon’s wife was about 12 kg/m2, weighing only 26 kilograms for a 4 feet 10 inches tall person. According to World Health Organization (WHO) norms, BMI <16.0 is associated with a significantly increased risk for “ill-health, poor physical performance, lethargy and even death.”

His neighbours told the team that Oraon was equally and visibly underweight.

“His wife’s Asrani’s health is also indicative of the extreme starvation the couple were suffering from,” Birbal Oraon, PBCMS secretary, claimed in a media statement.

The fact-finding team revealed that the tea garden had been closed for seven years, reopening in December 2021, during which workers were deprived of their entitled benefits. Despite employment, Oraon and Asrani received wages irregularly, with only one fortnight's salary in the last two months.

The team’s report said that the ration cards of Oraon and his wife were deactivated due to their Aadhaar cards not being linked. This hindered their access to food from the Public Distribution System for years.

Dependent on other villagers for food, the couple often went hungry or ate stale food due to their dire financial situation exacerbated by irregular wage payments, the team reported. Oraon's health deteriorated over time, leading to seizures and eventually, his death on February 2. The nearest healthcare facility was 20 km away and hence, the villagers could not take the sick tea worker there.

PBCMS demanded an independent investigation, punitive action against officials and tea estate management, government assistance for Asrani, and immediate medical aid. Additionally, they called for a thorough assessment of PDS functionality and the health conditions of tea garden workers in the district.