In a solemn ceremony in Guwahati on Wednesday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma extended crucial financial support to the grieving families of twenty tea garden workers who met a tragic end earlier this month. The workers lost their lives when the truck they were travelling in met with a devastating accident.
Financial Aid for the Bereaved and Injured
The Chief Minister personally handed over a one-time financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to each of the families of the deceased workers from the Gelapukhuri Tea Estate. The fatal incident occurred on December 8 when their vehicle plunged into a deep gorge while en route to Chaglagam from Tinsukia. In a gesture of support for the lone survivor, CM Sarma also provided Rs 1 lakh for medical treatment, which is currently ongoing.
Beyond the immediate relief, the CM issued specific directives to the Tinsukia district administration. He instructed them to ensure the families receive monthly financial benefits of Rs 1,250 under the Orunodoi Scheme. Furthermore, he ordered the district commissioner to provide ration cards to any affected family that does not already possess one and to ensure all necessary medical care for the survivor.
Addressing the Root Cause: Migration and Livelihood
During his address, CM Sarma turned the spotlight on the underlying socio-economic issues that compel such dangerous migrations. He expressed deep concern over the practice of taking members of the tea tribe community to Arunachal Pradesh as labourers. “Financial hardship is a major reason behind this,” he stated, highlighting that the meagre earnings of tea garden workers often force families to send their children to work outside the state, sometimes leading to school dropouts.
The Chief Minister clarified the government's stance on allegations of human trafficking from these areas. He distinguished between voluntary migration and trafficking, noting, “In most cases, workers go with the consent of their families... It becomes trafficking only when a person is lured away without the knowledge of family members.” To bring order to this pattern of movement, he announced that the state government will introduce necessary guidelines to regulate such work-related migration.
Industrialisation as a Long-Term Solution
Presenting a vision for a more secure future, CM Sarma emphasised that creating local employment is the key to preventing such tragedies. He firmly linked the need for industrial development within Assam to the safety and well-being of its workers. “That is why I always say that industrialisation should happen in Assam... If we fail to create an industrial atmosphere here, workers will continue to migrate and face an uncertain future,” he asserted, calling for public cooperation in this endeavour.
The tragic accident near Chaglagam has thus not only prompted immediate humanitarian aid but has also spurred the state government to confront the complex issues of economic vulnerability and unsafe migration patterns within Assam's vital tea community.
