Tea garden brews Kerala aid Consignment of 1,000kg for flood-hit state

Majherdabri Tea Estate officials in Alipurduar on Saturday with the consignment to be sent to Kerala. Picture by Anirban Choudhury

ANIRBAN CHOUDHURY, TT,  Aug 26, 2018, Alipurduar: A tea estate in the Dooars announced on Saturday that it would sent a consignment of 1,000kg of tea for the flood-affected in Kerala.

Majherdabri Tea's gesture is the the first-of-its-kind initiative by any tea garden in the region. It would inspire other tea estate to come forward in aid of flood victims of the southern state, company officials said.

Chinmoy Dhar, the manager of Majherdabri Tea Estate, located on the outskirts of Alipurduar town said the tea would be sent via train.

"We spoke with railway officials on Friday and they agreed to carry the consignment to Kerala. In total, 1,000 kilos of tea that is made in Majherdabri, has been packed in 34 bags. The bags would be loaded on the Vivek Express (that runs between Dibrugarh and Kanyakumari). The people of Kerala have suffered a lot and so has its tea belt. It is a gesture of cooperation and solidarity from our side as we too, are in the tea sector," said Dhar.

The estate has already paid the railway freight for the consignment. The cost of teas to be sent to Kerala is around Rs 3 lakh, said sources.

Representatives of the Tea Association of India, an organisation of tea planters, said the Tea Board of India has issued a letter, mentioning that any tea that is being sent to Kerala will be transported via air free of cost.

"However, to avail the benefit, the consignment has to be sent to Bagdogra airport. This is why probably the management of Majherdabri has decided to send it by train. It is a noble decision and we appreciate it. In the coming days, we feel some more gardens will take similar initiatives," R.A. Sharma, secretary of the Dooars branch of TAI, said.

Majherdabri, it has been also decided that all executives of the company will contribute a day's salary in aid of Kerala.

"We have already received a circular. The money would be sent to the chief minister's relief fund in Kerala," said the manager.