Study carried out following death of a tea worker due to starvation
Paschim Banga Cha Majoor Samity experts surveyed 122 tea estate workers. Photo: PBCMS A recent survey conducted among tea workers in West Bengal has revealed alarming levels of nutrition deficiency, shedding light on the precarious conditions faced by this vital workforce. The survey targeted at-risk workers working in tea estates and found more than half were experiencing severe nutrition deficiencies.
The survey was conducted against the backdrop of reports of an Adivasi tea worker in a north Bengal estate allegedly dying of starvation after failing to procure food from the government and allowance from the tea estate he worked with.
The Paschim Banga Cha Majoor Samity (PBCMS), an independent trade union representing tea estate workers affiliated with the informal network Right to Food and Work Campaign, initiated a fact-finding mission to assess the prevalence of hunger in the area.
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Between February 25 and 27, a team of experts visited seven tea gardens housing 20,000 workers. These gardens, either closed, abandoned, or struggling, were specifically chosen to understand the situation of workers without income and how the Public Distribution System is helping them.
The team questioned 122 respondents from these seven estates. These workers were identified as at-risk individuals, were recognised by active members of PBCMS.
The team found a significant proportion of them showed signs of nutritional inadequacy — about 44 respondents had a body mass index (BMI) of less than 17, indicating insufficient food intake, poor diet quality or underlying health issues affecting their overall well-being.
An additional 20 workers had a BMI below 18.5, classified as underweight, indicating nutritional vulnerability. Deficiencies may result in weakened immune function and impaired growth.
The remaining 48 respondents had a BMI ranging from 18.5 to 24.9, considered normal weight. However, the report emphasised that BMI alone may not capture all aspects of health.
According to World Health Organization standards, BMI serves as a crucial tool to assess the ratio of weight to height, enabling the classification of individuals into categories such as underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity, using a numerical scale ranging from 17 to 30.
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The survey also found that 49 per cent of family members relied on a single ration card, which could have exacerbated the food and health crisis.
According to the central government scheme Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), each family is eligible to receive 35 kilogrammes of cereals per month. But the current entitlement under the AAY card can meet the dietary needs of a family of three at best.
“Surprisingly, about 49 per cent of the respondents reported that more than four people were currently dependent on a single ration card within their families and in some cases, the numbers were as high as 13,” said Anuradha Talwar, convener of the PBCMS.
The problem has gotten worse as AAY quotas have run out, according to the report’s authors. According to the Centre, the National Food Security Act (NFSA) of 2013 covers up to 75 per cent of the rural population for receiving highly subsidised foodgrains.
However, the apex public think tank Niti Aayog calculated the quota based on the 2011 Census, with the goal of covering 67.5 per cent of the state’s population. In 2011, West Bengal had a population of 813.5 million.
“The rural marginalised population suffers because there has been no census or revision of the AAY quota since then, despite the increase in population,” Talwar stated.
The experts predicted that West Bengal’s population is around 99 million at present, while the number of NFSA ration cards will remain constant at 60 million. As a result, NFSA rations only cover 60.2 per cent of the state’s population, rather than the intended 67.5 per cent, Talwar noted.
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She added that the immediate impact on nutritional levels is evident in vulnerable populations in tea gardens.
Moreover, the non-issuance of new ration cards and the lack of cereals result in limited access to protein, further depriving them of benefits.
“Only eight families were found to consume pulses on a daily basis, while 38 or 59 per cent have dal once or twice a week, and 18 or 28 per cent only once a month,” the survey report said.
It also noted that other sources of protein like eggs, fish, and meat are consumed even less frequently. No family was found to consume them regularly.
About 9-14 per cent consumed meat or other items on a weekly basis, while 44-69 per cent have it monthly. “Of the respondents, 11-17 per cent reported having meat, fish, or eggs once every two months,” the report observed.
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