The state labour department has convened a tripartite meeting to end the stalemate of Longview, a tea estate located around 25km in the Kurseong subdivision of Darjeeling district, on November 11.

The tea estate has been closed since October 14 as the management has announced suspension of work while citing lawlessness in the garden.

Sources said the additional labour commissioner of the north Bengal zone has convened the meeting in his office to expedite the reopening of the garden. Letters have been sent to the management of the tea estate and different tea trade unions.

Samik Chakraborty, an executive committee member of the Hill Plantation Employees’ Union (HPEU), said they have received the letter.

“We will attend the tripartite meeting and underscore our demand that the management should immediately clear all the dues, which is around 17 crore rupees, of the workers, including a bonus at a 20 per cent rate. Also, the garden should be reopened immediately,” said Chakraborty.

Since October 7, a section of workers of the tea estate plantation have been organising a relay hunger strike at the garden.

They mentioned that earlier, the garden had tea plantations spread over an area of around 1,000 hectares with 1,200 workers. However, due to the management’s negligent attitude, the plantation area has been reduced to half while only 380 workers serve in the garden now, they have alleged.

“The management should resume tea production and allied activities in a full-fledged manner. We are ready to extend all help for the revival of the garden but our dues have to be cleared as we are in acute financial crisis,” said a senior worker.