"Over 40,000 tea garden workers in Assam battling for survival as ACIL delay hits welfare plan", 23 February 2022

Over 40,000 tea garden workers in upper Assam are being allegedly forced to live in dilapidated homes without access to proper healthcare and education due to an over three-year delay in fulfilment of welfare promises made by their employer -- a major global conglomerate facing fraud and forgery charges.

The workers from adivasi communities are employed in 14 tea gardens of the 182-year-old Assam Company India Limited (ACIL), which was acquired by billionaire B R Shetty-owned BRS ventures in 2018 after approval from the National Company Law Tribunal.

The ACIL, however, refuted the allegations, saying the management was committed to improving the lives of workers and blamed the COVID-19 pandemic for the delay in the implementation of the proposed welfare plan...

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Playing down the claims, ACIL management said the company is in full compliance of the resolution plan submitted by the promoter group...