Bagisa Shramik Santha and Asom Majuri Shramik Union, two registered unions of the state, have demanded that the tea industry should hike the daily wages of labourers on a par with wages given to workers under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) schemes. The unions have over one lakh members across the state. The Asom Majuri Shramik Union has its headquarters in Silchar while the Bagisa Shramik Santha has it headquarters...

“Inside the mine everything is very fragile. Even the falling of a small rock can cause death sometimes. People from outside cannot imagine what the hell is inside the mine!” These are the words of 16-year old Muzzammal Haque who works in a coal mine in the Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya. He is yet another example of the bonded child labour in the various coal mines in the Jaintia Hills on...

The blockade of two national highways in Manipur by Naga groups entered the 55th day on Sunday and the prices of essential commodities remained high. Hundreds of trucks are still stranded. The All-Naga Students' Association launched the blockade on April 12 to protest against elections to six autonomous district councils in the hills which, it alleged, were given not enough powers to carry out development works. However, the Manipur government has...