S. Ramanathan, General Secretary Lanka Estate Workers’ Union (LEWU) has urged President Mahinda Rajapaksa to take early measures to uplift the Tea Industry from the serious crisis it is facing.

He also appealed to the President to provide relief to the owned Institutions namely the JEDB, SPC and EPL Estate which institutions are facing serious problems. He stated that the workers are not provided with sufficient work nor paid their statutory dues and the managements of these institutions, it is learnt are unable to find funds even to manage their day to day needs such as maintaining their factories, Vehicles and carry on with other agricultural practices because the tea prices had dropped sharply. Many tea factories of these Institutions have already been closed down and if immediate measures are not taken, this would lead to the complete ruination of the national assets the tea industry.

The Government should take serious note of this situation and provide relief to these institutions until such time the situation, reverts to normal. Under the previous regime when the EPL Ltd faced similar crisis, the Government readily provided funds to over come their problems, Mr. Ramanathan said.