Status of tea garden labourers in eastern Himalaya: A case of Darjeeling tea industry

Among the teas cultivated in India, the most celebrated one comes from Darjeeling Himalaya. The best of India's prized Darjeeling Tea is considered the world's finest tea. The region has been cultivating and producing tea since the last 150 years. The complex geo-environmental and agro-climatic conditions in the region lend to the tea grown in the area a distinct quality. However, in recent times, the industry is fraught with several problems. This paper attempts to explore the social and economic situations of tea garden labourers in Darjeeling Hills. It brings forth the plights of garden..