The 3rd International Tea Day India Programme this year was organised by central and tea related trade unions at Kumili and Vandeperiyar, Kerala. A National Seminar on “Closed and Abandoned Tea Gardens: Challenges before the Trade Unions” was held at Holiday Home, Kumili, Idukki district, Kerala on December 15, 2007. N.M. Adiayantiayya, Vice President, INTUC and Member, ILO Governing Body inaugurated the Seminar and Com. Abani Roy, Member of Parliament and Secretary, UTUC gave the presidential address. The welcome address was given by Com. Vazoor Soman, Secretary, AITUC and P.A. Joseph, Chairman, ITD Reception Committee and President, Indian National Plantation Workers’ Federation (INTUC) facilitated the inaugural session

Abani Roy in his presidential address highlighted the conditions of tea plantation workers in India and stressed the importance of such a seminar. N.M. Adiayantiayya in his address said that all the members here have gathered to discuss the challenges, advantages and disadvantages of the existing situation. He mentioned that this is a transition period that is dangerous for the industry and players such as trade unions, employers and the government have an important role to play. He mentioned that ILO would extend all technical support to this cause. .

Joachim Baxla, Member of Parliament, stressed in his deliberations that the activity of Tea Board should not be restricted to tea promotion and marketing both national and international but instead should extend their activities with various schemes to the suffering tea estates. Support from the local self-government can also be extended. As the land belongs to the state government it is difficult to extend various schemes through panchayat. In his deliberations he mentioned that workers and families are in search of alternative job opportunities. Under the self-help concept a lot could be done to help the tea workers. Activities like bee-keeping, mat-making, piggery, dairy, poultry as alternative job opportunities could be thought of. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) has benefited many tea garden workers. Both state and union government must come up with schemes vis-à-vis financial institutions to employ the educated children of tea community. He further requested the ILO to recognize December 15 as the International Tea Day.