Dibrugarh: Tensions ran high at the Hingrijan Tea Estate in Charaideo district on Tuesday as hundreds of workers protested against the management of Andrew Yule & Co Ltd for failing to pay the second instalment of the Durga Puja bonus.The workers are demanding immediate disbursal of the remaining 8% bonus, which was promised to be paid before Magh Bihu in Jan but remains pending.The Andrew Yule group, which manages ten tea estates across Assam, had announced a 20% bonus for its workforce ahead of the Durga Puja festival last year. The management had decided to disburse the amount in two phases, paying 12% in Sept 2025 and the remaining 8% before Magh Bihu celebrations in Jan 2026. However, with Jan having passed and February coming to a close, the outstanding amount has still not been credited to the workers.According to the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965, employers are mandated to provide a minimum bonus of 8.33%, with a ceiling of 20%. The law extends this benefit to all permanent and temporary workers who have completed at least 30 days of service, ensuring broad coverage across the workforce.Senior tea tribe leader Arup Kalandi, who participated in Tuesday’s protest, alleged that the issue is not isolated to Hingrijan alone. He claimed that workers across all ten tea estates managed by Andrew Yule are yet to receive their dues.“Despite a clear commitment from the management to pay the second instalment of 8% before Magh Bihu, not a single worker across the ten gardens has received the money. This is a breach of trust. The workers had adjusted their festival expenses based on this promise, and the delay has caused severe financial hardship. We will continue to agitate until the full amount is credited,” Kalandi said.The tea estates affected by the delay include Khowang, Bamun, Tingkhong, Rajgarh, Basmatia, and Desam in Dibrugarh district, Hingrijan in Charaideo district and Hoolungooree, Murphulani and Bogijan in Golaghat district.As of Tuesday evening, the Andrew Yule group had not released an official statement regarding the status of the pending bonus payment. Workers have warned of intensified protests if their demands are not met immediately.
