BIRESWAR BANERJEESiliguri: The trade union of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has threatened to stop dispatch of first flush made tea from gardens in the Darjeeling hills if bonus dues are not paid immediately. The bonus to be paid to workers in the hill tea gardens for the 2016-2017 fiscal had been fixed at 19.75 per cent. However, citing the setback the hill tea sector suffered because of the four-month long Gorkhaland agitation, most of the total 87 estates have paid only half of the bonus so far. "Tea estates are functioning normally across the hills now. The first flush tea production begins from March onwards.

Source: The Telegraph February 01, 2018 20:15 UTC