ILAM:

At least 1,500 kg of green leaves have been destroyed everyday after the Soktim Tea Estate (STE) closed since last week following dispute between management and workers.

There was a clash after a dispute arose between H K Ghosh, deputy manager of STE and worker Hari Maya Chauhan on April 11, when she alleged that he manhandled her. Following the incident, workers locked up manager Hiranya Kumar Benarji and Ghosh in office from 4 pm to midnight. They escaped from the office when the security guard was asleep and they have not returned so far. The tealeaves have overgrown and turning useless at the tea estate where there are some 90 workers, said Yam Kumari Tamang, a worker. Workers have filed an application at the head office of the tea estate, Birtamod, after collecting signatures of workers to open the tea estate.