Some large scale tea estates and corporate factories in The Nilgiris have commenced working following the permission granted by district Collector with prescribed strict norms to be maintained for ensuring the safety of workers against Covid-19 spread.

Among the immediate welfare measures the managements took is to provide sanitary materials to the workers and their families. In some cases, the buyers of teas have come forward to sponsor such materials as social service to the working tea community.

A Delhi-based online trading major Vahdam Teas has supplied floor wash, and hand wash liquid soaps to all the workers’ families at the speciality tea major Avataa Beverages.

“This is the initial supply. Vahdam founder CEO Bala Sarda has assured to support the workers’ safety with more materials soon”, Avataa Director Sidharth told Business Line after distributing these materials to the workers at Billimalai estate, some 10 kilometres from Coonoor.

“We have issued detailed instructions to the workers as to how to maintain their personal hygiene as well as the sanitation of their living quarters inside the estate”, he said.

“We have reopened the estate and factory strictly complying with the instructions imposed by the district Collector to keep the threat of Covid-19 away. These include testing the temperature of the workers before allowing them to work, getting their written consent for working and maintaining the social distance at all times during the working hours”, he disclosed.

“Also, we are working with a minimum number using only the workers resident on our estate and have closed all the roads linking the estate with other areas,” he noted.

“Vahdam Teas have a known history of contributing to workers’ welfare. They have supported the education of 65 children in our estate at an outlay of ₹1,23,544. Now, they have announced to create a digital learning centre for the workers’ children in our estate”, Avataa Speciality Tea Executive ENR Vejayashekara said.

“We are providing all our workers and their families, who include migrant labour, Turmeric Green Tea free-of-cost to strengthen their physical immunity against the virus”, he added.

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