KOLKATA: With the prolonged shutdown in Darjeeling Hills seems to be tapering off, premier tea gardens of the hills are waiting for the workers to report for work and start operations.
"We had never closed our garden due to the shutdown. The entire management team was stationed at Makaibari tea estate since the start of the start of the shutdown in June. Now we ae waiting for the workers to come to work and start operations", director of Luxmi Tea Company Rudra Chatterjee told PTI.
The iconic Makaibari, he said, had lost the most valuable Darjeeling second flush amounting to around 30,000 kg due to the stir.
The garden has 650 workers including 350 pluckers, he said.
Goodricke Tea Company, which owns another premier garden Castleton, was also waiting for the workers to return to work.
"There was no closure of the gardens. In Castleton, 70 to 80 people have reported for work but at the moment, cleaning up operations are on. Another 132 people have given commitment to report for work from Monday", MD and CEO of Goodricke Arun Singh said.
Singh said that shutdown had led to a total crop loss of four lakh kg. Goodricke has five gardens in the hills including Thurbo and Margaret's Hope.
Another premier garden owned Andrew Yule & Company, MIM, was also facing a similar situation.
"The garden was never closed. But the workers are yet to report for work now", CMD of state-owned Andrew Yule Debasis Jana said.
The PSU garden lost around 30,000 kg of valuable second flush due to the stir.