Govt's tea 'lapses'

Avijit Sinha, TT, Siliguri, Dec. 17: A special commissioner appointed by the Supreme Court to oversee food rights has written to the Bengal chief secretary, citing alleged lapses in providing relief to over 20 tea gardens in north Bengal.

In the December 10 letter, Harsh Mander reminded chief secretary Sanjay Mitra about the recommendations he had made after a visit to two tea gardens owned by the Duncans Goenka Group in August.

Mander had urged the government to "take a range of steps to address the acute food distress" in 14 tea gardens owned by Duncans and eight other closed estates.

Mander mentioned in his letter that most of the recommendations had not been implemented and sought an action-taken report by December 31. "We would need to submit an Action Taken Report to the Supreme Court," the letter said.