Tendu workers to boycott plucking for higher wages

The tribals are protesting over the disparity in the wages of tendu leaf collection vis-a-vis neigbouring Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. In Madhya Pradesh, the wages per 100 bundles is Rs 200 while in Andhra Pradesh it is over Rs 150. However, the tendu leaf collectors in the region get a meagre wages of Rs 48 per 100 bundles.

The meeting of tendu leaf pluckers demanded that the wages should be at par with Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. They also demanded that group insurance scheme should be introduced on the lines of Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. Presently, about 48 lakh tendu leaf pluckers of the State are not covered under any scheme.

The State Forest department earns a net profit of around Rs 60 crore every year by auctioning of tendu leaf areas to tendu contractors. Besides, the government gets crores of rupees through royalty from the contractors.

Maharashtra is the third largest tendu leaf producing state in the country after Madhya Pradesh and Orissa. The tendu leaf of the State is even being exported to Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.