Siliguri, Oct. 9 -- Amid fears of snake bites and attacks from nocturnal animals, a large number of tea labourers, mostly belonging to the tribal communities, are apprehensive of job losses following devastating floods, industry sources said today.
Vast stretches of tea gardens either suffered heavy damage or were inundated by the rain-induced floods earlier this week.
The sources said the deluge caused an estimated Rs 100 crore plus damage to tea gardens across North Bengal's Terai and Dooars of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri district where tea is the main cash crop.
The planters - large, medium and small - are staring at huge losses when estimates are made after the mud waters recede. The marginal labourers, mostly the Adivasi, would also s...