Here's the gist of the long article. Current Scenario: Once considered among the best tea gardens in the country, most of the North Bengal gardens are closing due to low yields from aging tea bushes. This has severely affected the lives of about 17,000 workers. About 1,000 have died of malnutrition and related diseases. These garden villages are far from the towns and offer limited employment opportunities and medical care. Many are eking out their lives with Rs. 5-10 a day. Reason for Closures: According to a status paper by the Tea Association of India, declining productivity, rising input costs, low level of labor output and age profile of tea bushes contributed most to the decline of the industry. Some are blaming the trade unions for impossible demands when the industry was suffering. Another causes include the numerous small growers who compromise with the quality and have reduced the brand value. Government Intervention: In June 2007, the talks between government and tea industry officials also produced a package of Rs 119 crore to revive the tea industry.