Living in sick tea plantations: socioeconomic and health conditions of indigenous tea garden workers and their survival strategies

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Title

Indigenous People and Nature: Insights for Social, Ecological, and Technological Sustainability

Abstract

The Dooars tea industry experienced a rapid closure and sickness of tea plantations, resulting in mass unemployment of indigenous tea garden workers, in the recent decades. The indigenous workers at sick tea plantations became unemployed, deprived of their rights, due salaries, and basic amenities, and struggled to survive. In this view, the chapter is devoted to investigate the socioeconomic and health conditions of the indigenous workers, living at a sick tea plantation as well as their survival strategies. The cross-sectional study collected relevant data using structured questionnaires and semistructured interviews. The study found that the health status and quality of life of the indigenous workers are worse, while they are economically well off. Indeed, the indigenous workers adopted various strategies such as intense job search, migration to other places, exploiting the environment, increased substance abuse, and frequent social gatherings to alleviate the financial and emotional stress, but neglected healthcare. The chapter raises few concerns, pointing out that with appropriate social and ecological sustainability, the indigenous workers may sustain in the long run ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of forest and protection of biodiversity.

First Page

217

Last Page

239

DOI

10.1016/B978-0-323-91603-5.00004-X

Publication Date

1-1-2022

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