Team of doctors confirm malnutrition of tea workers

A team of doctors today confirmed that most workers of a tea estate where death due to malnutrition have been alleged by a rights body, were suffering from it.

The team, consisting of doctors from Civil Hospital, Cachar Cancer Hospital and Kalyani Hospital, examined about 500 patients of Bhuvan Valley tea garden and a cluster of villages in the vicinity at a medical-cum-awareness camp organised by a local NGO, Arunodaya Sangha.

Investigations carried out by the Barak Human Rights Protection Committee (HRPC) on the death of 12 workers of the garden after its closure since the last Durga Puja came out with the findings that the human tragedy was due to malnutrition among other reasons.

The doctors admitted after examining the patients that 75 per cent of them suffered from malnutrition.

Das said the people there required food and nutrition, rather than medicines, as those examined showed loss of weight and were suffering from anaemia.

Dr Pallavi Mukherjee said most women patients were addicted to tobacco products and they were cautioned if they did not discard the habit, the chances of cancer could hardly be ruled out.

Assam Excise and Sports Minister Ajit Singh and Additional Chief Secretary P K Choudhury visited the garden last week and was scheduled to submit a report to the chief minister soon.