Executive Summary:
This notification, dated January 31, 2018, establishes a committee to investigate the affairs of specific tea estates in West Bengal. This action follows Supreme Court directives regarding compliance with the Tea Act of 1953. The committee must submit its report within three weeks of the notification date.
Key Points / Main Content:
Background:
* The Hon'ble Supreme Court directed the Central Government to fulfill its duties under the Tea Act, 1953.
* The Supreme Court ordered compliance within four weeks on July 21, 2017, leading to the formation of three committees to investigate fifty-three tea estates.
* The Hon'ble Supreme Court was notified on August 21, 2017, about a list of gardens omitted from the initial notification dated August 7, 2017.
* The Tea Board conducted a preliminary inquiry and found substantial statutory labor dues outstanding in ten omitted gardens, with one already closed.
Committee Establishment and Composition:
* A committee is appointed under Section 16B(1)(c) of the Tea Act, 1953 to investigate tea estates in West Bengal.
* The committee consists of:
* Shri S. Soundararajan, Director of Tea Development, Tea Board, Kolkata.
* Shri Falguni Banerjee, Deputy Director of Tea Development, Tea Board, Kolkata.
* Shri Dipankar Mukherjee, Deputy Director of Tea Development, Tea Board, Kolkata.
Terms of Reference:
* The committee will conduct a full investigation into the affairs of the tea estates, including:
* Details of wages, gratuity, and provident fund dues paid and payable to workers and their dependents.
* Details of actions initiated by authorities against owners for non-payment of dues.
* The committee must submit its report within three weeks of the notification date.
Tea Estates Under Investigation:
* The notification includes an annexure listing the following tea estates to be investigated: Kohinoor, Bamandanga Tondu, Samsing, Marybong, Runglee Rungliot, Bagrakote, Kilcott, Nagaisuree, and Gungaram.
Impact Analysis:
Tea Estate Workers and Dependents:
* Impact: Potential for recovery of outstanding wages, gratuity, and provident fund dues.
* Action Required: Provide information and documentation related to unpaid dues to the committee.
Tea Estate Owners:
* Impact: Subject to investigation and potential legal action for non-payment of dues.
* Action Required: Cooperate with the committee's investigation and provide requested information.
Tea Board:
* Impact: Responsible for providing committee members and overseeing the investigation process.
* Action Required: Support the committee's work and ensure timely submission of the report.
Central Government (Ministry of Commerce and Industry):
* Impact: Responsible for implementing the Supreme Court's directives and ensuring compliance with the Tea Act, 1953.
* Action Required: Review the committee's report and take appropriate action based on its findings.
Committee Members:
* Impact: Required to conduct a full and complete investigation of the tea estates.
* Action Required: Conduct the investigation and submit the report within three weeks of the notification date.
Key Entities Referenced
Tea Act, 1953: An act of the Parliament of India to provide for the control by the Union of the tea industry, including the production, distribution, and sale of tea.
Supreme Court of India: The highest judicial court and final court of appeal under the Constitution of India.
International Union of Food, Agriculture and Ors. versus Union of India and Ors.: A legal case (Writ Petition 365 of 2006) heard by the Supreme Court of India.
Tea Board: A statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India responsible for the overall development of the tea industry.
Kolkata, West Bengal: City in West Bengal, India where Tea Board officials are located.
West Bengal: A state in eastern India where the tea estates under investigation are located.
S. Soundararajan: Director of Tea Development, Tea Board, Kolkata, and a member of the investigation committee.
Falguni Banerjee: Deputy Director of Tea Development, Tea Board, Kolkata, and a member of the investigation committee.
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(वािण(cid:5)य िवभाग)
अअअअििििधधधधससससचचूूचचूू ननननाााा
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622 GI/2018 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(ii)]
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[फा. स.ं टी-29014/6/2008-बागान (अ)]
संतोष कुमार सारंगी, संयु> सिचव
उउउउपपपपााााबबबबधधंंधधंं
(cid:13)(cid:13)(cid:13)(cid:13)मममम सससस(cid:15)(cid:15)(cid:15)(cid:15)ंंंं ययययाााा चचचचाााायययय सससस(cid:19)(cid:19)(cid:19)(cid:19)पपपपददददाााा(cid:21)(cid:21)(cid:21)(cid:21) ककककाााा ननननाााामममम
1. कोिहनूर
2. बामनडांगा ट6डु
3. सामlसग
4. म&े रब6ग
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8. नागाईसरु ी
9. गुंगारम
MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
(Department of Commerce)
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 31st January, 2018
S.O. 487(E).—Whereas, the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in Writ Petition 365 of 2006 in the matter of
International Union of Food, Agriculture and Ors. versus Union of India and Ors. vide order dated the 6th August, 2010
directed the Central Government to carry out their statutory duties under the provisions of Tea Act, 1953 (29 of 1953)
particularly, in terms of Sections 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E within a period of six months;
And whereas, the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in Contempt Petition number 16 of 2012 vide order dated the
21st July, 2017 directed that the aforesaid directions dated the 6th August, 2010 to be complied within four weeks and
accordingly the Central Government vide Notification number S.O. 2494(E), dated the 7th August, 2017 had constituted
three committees to investigate into the affairs of fifty three tea estates;¹Hkkx IIµ[k.M 3(ii)º Hkkjr dk jkti=k % vlk/kj.k 3
And whereas, during the hearing of the Contempt Petition (C) 16 of 2012 in W.P.(C) No. 365 of 2006 on
21.08.2017, a list of gardens which were left out from the notification dated the 7th August, 2017 was brought to the
notice of the Hon’ble Supreme Court;
And whereas, the Tea Board was asked to conduct a preliminary inquiry of ten such left out gardens and submit
a report;
And whereas, the report of Tea Board reveals substantial outstanding statutory labour dues in all such ten
gardens and one garden namely Kumlai is already closed;
Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (c) of sub-section (1) of section 16B of the Tea
Act, 1953 (29 of 1953), the Central Government hereby appoints the Committee to make a full and complete
investigation into the affairs of the tea estates given in Annexure to this notification, in the State of West Bengal,
namely:—
Composition of the Committee
(i) Shri S. Soundararajan, Director of Tea Development, Tea Board, Kolkata.
(ii) Shri Falguni Banerjee, Deputy Director of Tea Development, Tea Board, Kolkata.
(iii) Shri Dipankar Mukherjee, Deputy Director of Tea Development, Tea Board, Kolkata.
Terms of Reference
The Committee shall make a full and complete investigation into the affairs of the tea estates relating to the following
matters, namely:—
(a) The details of wages, gratuity and provident fund dues being paid and payable to the workers and their dependents
and such other dues as they under an obligation to pay under any law; and
(b) The details about the action initiated by authorities concerned against the owners of such tea estates for non-
payment of wages, gratuity and provident fund dues.
The committee shall submit the report within three weeks from the date of the notificatio n.
[F. No. T-29014/6/2008-Plant (A)]
SANTOSH KUMAR SARANGI, Jt. Secy.
Annexure
Sl. No. Name of the tea estate
1 Kohinoor
2 Bamandanga Tondu
3 Samsing
4 Marybong
5 Runglee Rungliot
6 Bagrakote
7 Kilcott
8 Nagaisuree
9 Gungaram
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and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.