Grant paid leave to tea workers going for vaccination: Assam Opp leader
GUWAHATI:
Leader of the Opposition in Assam Assembly, Debabrata Saikia has requested the state welfare of tea tribes and labour minister to issue strict instructions to tea garden managements to allow paid leave to labourers going for vaccination at nearby government healthcare facilities.
In a letter to the minister, Saikia stated, "I have received complaints from many tea garden labourers that whenever they go to nearby government healthcare facilities for COVID vaccination, the tea garden managements do not grant them leave and consequently the workers have to forgo their wages for that day. This is an unacceptable situation."
"As such, I request you to kindly issue strict instructions to all tea garden managements of Assam to allow paid leave whenever any labourer seeks to go for vaccination at nearby government healthcare facilities," he stated.
Saikia, who is also an MLA of Nazira Legislative Assembly constituency in Upper Assam, further stated that the "managements may, of course, ascertain details regarding vaccination of individual labourers by consulting officials of the relevant healthcare facilities."
"Further, I have been informed that there has been a shortage in supply of vaccines in the tea garden areas, thereby resulting in inadequate vaccination. The COVID testing process has also been lethargic. Only around 10 to 20 per cent of the tea garden population has been tested so far," he stated.
"I would, therefore, request you to take necessary steps for speeding up the COVID testing process as well as the vaccination drive in the tea garden areas of Assam," he added.
The same has been communicated through a letter to the labour welfare commissioner by Saikia.
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