The Plantation Ministry has announced that it will soon address the situation of women in the private plantation sector who do not receive full wages of the day from pregnancy through childbirth and up to six months after delivery. The assurance comes following reports that some pregnant tea plucking women and mothers of six-month-old infants are being paid only half a day’s wage if they fail to meet the daily plucking target.

When contacted, Deputy Plantation Minister, Sundaralinga Pradeep told The Daily Morning that all women in the State sector are already receiving full wages. “Those who don't receive it will be identified and will be given the full wages soon,” he said. He further added that private sector tea plucking women who do not receive wages on the days that they attend clinic appointments will also have the matter resolved, and that they will be paid for those due dates.

The concerns arose after the Convenor of the Civil Collective for Malaiyaha Reconstruction organisation Selvaraja Rajasegar claimed that some pregnant women on certain estates are being denied these rights. He detailed the hardships that pregnant tea pluckers face, including their inability to meet daily demands. “Unlike the other workers, we can't wander far or roam around to pluck leaves. We can't travel long distances. There are many wild animals like leopards and snakes roaming about, and wasp nests are found in almost every tree. They don’t clean the estates properly, nor do they apply the necessary fertiliser for the tea bushes. Yet, we are expected to pluck the exact quantity of leaves that they dictate,” he had documented their grievances with The Daily Morning. Rajasegar also highlighted the poor conditions of working places. He said that apart from the physical inconveniences of pregnancy, women are expected to work all day long, and that proper sanitation facilities for these workers have not been established to date.