Malnutrition deaths highlight exploitation in India's gardens
A study conducted by the United Tea Workers Front in West Bengal, India, found an increase in deaths due to diseases related to malnutrition in 2014. The report highlights the persistent poverty and exploitation of tens of thousands of Indians working in the country's tea plantations, including the famous Darjeeling region. Wages may be as low as $1.50 a day - not enough to feed and provide medical care for workers and their families. The sudden increase in deaths, which amounted to more than 100 this year alone, is also attributed to the closure of several tea gardens due to various entrepreneurial and legal disputes. Local officials are providing subsidized food rations and are trying to negotiate with tea plantation owners to re-open the estates.