With workers not turning up, tea factories in Nilgiris draw a blank

Udhagamandalam: Tea manufacturing factories in the Nilgiris are staring at uncertainty in the wake of the lockdown as their employees have refused to turn up for work.

The apex body of 15 cooperative tea factories in the Nilgiris (INDCOSERVE),had on Tuesday decided to kickstart work at four factories from Wednesday, but the decision didn’t find favour with workers.

On Tuesday, in a meeting with officials from all 15 cooperative tea factories in the district, it was decided to start production as a trial measure in factories at Kinnakorai, Kaikatty, Ithalar and Mahalinga.

Over 22,000 small tea farmers are attached to the 15 factories in the hills.

B.B.Sivakumar , chairman of INDCOSERVE, told TOI, “The workers showed no inclination to come for work on Wednesday, given the situation… we will hold a meeting on Saturday to draw a plan for tea production”.


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