New beginning for Ambootia TE

SNS, Kurseong, 6 October: The Ambootia Tea Estate plans to prepare the upcoming first flush tea in its own factory that will be built anew. A major fire in the factory on 18 August burnt to ashes the historic Ambootia factory, and tea leaves have been processed at other factories of the same company since then.

Talking to reporters, central committee member of the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM)-affiliated trade union, Darjeeling Terai Dooars Plantation Labour Union (DTDPLU), Rajendra Rajput, said tea leaves plucked in Ambootia are being sent to its sister factories in Nagari and Munda for processing.

According to him, the debris left by the fire has now been removed and a base has been prepared for rebuilding the factory.

He said the owner of the tea estate, Sanjay Bansal, has assured them that work to build the factory will gather pace after the Pujas.

He added that the management has also assured them that the new factory will be one of the best tea factories in India.

Mr Rajput claimed that rumours of a dispute over Puja bonus in the plantation were false.

“Everything is going on smoothly so far,” he said, adding that the fire incident has, however, brought in stress among the workers.

“Workers received their bonus at the rate of 20% on 19 September,” he said.

The Ambootia Tea Estate, where around 1000 permanent tea workers are presently employed, is one of the oldest tea gardens in Darjeeling Hills and it dates back to 1861. The factory gutted by the fire in August was built in 1920.

In most tea gardens in Darjeeling Hills, the plucking season stays for around nine months a year. The most important season is the first flush when plucking begins in March. Pruning for the first flush season begins November and December.