Estate owners have rejected a request by the CWC to raise the festival advance to Rs. 15,000, and have offered only half the amount.

Meanwhile, hill-country estate labourers are in a protest campaign to demand a Rs. 1,000 daily wage and a Rs. 15,000 festival advance.

In a show of support for them, farmers staged protests in front of Weerasingham Hall in Jaffna and in Vavuniya town.