The National Commission for Women is contemplating to set up a joint research team to undertake a study on plantation labour, Lalitha Kumaramangalam, Chairperson, NCW, said.

Addressing planters at the 122nd Annual Conference of UPASI, she said, “I do not know how the negotiations between the plantation associations and labour take place; but am told that the last time any such research on the condition of the labour in plantations was made was in 1969. It is, therefore, time to undertake a fresh study of the situation. We will talk to the Ministry of Labour as this will come under their purview.”

The NCW chairperson’s observation on the need for conduct of such a study comes close on the heels of the trouble brewing in Munnar, Kerala.

“I cannot promise to find a solution to the issue, but will promise to facilitate the discussion with the plantation workers. Unless and until I hear them, I will not be able to comment,” she told reporters, when asked about her stand on their wage demand for ₹500/ day.

Better relations On the scope of the study, she said, “we will come out with suggestions for improving the relations between plantation owners and workers.”

NCW, she said, would assign the job to an external agency such as a University or research institute after discussing with the Labour and Commerce ministry.

While it would take another 2-3 months to assign the work, she is expecting the agency to release the data within 6 months to a year of assigning the task.

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