Free health treatment for tea workers in WB

Siliguri (West Bengal) [India] February 8 (ANI): An Australian NGO named "Hands on India" in collaboration with a Siliguri based NGO is providing free Chiropractic health treatment to workers of Gulma Tea Estate near Siliguri.

There are presently 317 tea gardens in Terai-Dooars region and 87 gardens in Darjeeling hills and more than five lakhs people are directly or indirectly involved in this industry.

Every year India is producing around 1,300 million kg of tea and North Bengal is sharing 230 million kg, earning huge amount of foreign money, but the health condition of the garden workers does not seem good as they are not getting proper medical treatment.

It was also found that some of the gardens do not have proper health care centers.

The tea garden workers are also seen suffering from critical diseases, but due to lack of money they are helpless.

Following the crisis, this Australian NGO has come forward to help the garden workers who appreciated the help saying, "We get better medical treatment here because we do not have money to avail treatment at the tea garden".

The team had taken the initiative to provide free treatment with the help of Siliguri based NGO "Seva Kendra".

The 12 members' Australian team is providing free Chiropractic treatment to the needy garden workers.

They are providing treatment for osteoarthritis; solder pain, elbow pain, knee injuries, ankle injuries, frozen shoulder, headaches, low back pain and disc injuries.

"Workers in tea garden are poor and have never received any health care. We have come here to help them. It is a tedious job and their shoulders and joints get arthritic and our treatment helps those issues. We provide Chiropractic which relieves muscles, joints and spine," NGO Supervisor, Warren Genders told ANI.

He added that their NGO is receiving a very good response and they are requesting the Indian Government to set up more and more health care centers in this region which could help the poor garden workers. (ANI)