Plea for nod to prune tea leaves in lockdown Planters have hinted that it would be tough to pay wages to all permanent workers for the lockdown period

TT Bureau,  2.04.20, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri: Government officials held meetings with representatives of the tea industry in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar on Wednesday to discuss a number of issues, ranging from production to precautionary steps against the spread of the novel coronavirus.

In Jalpaiguri, representatives of tea planters’ associations attended the meeting held in the presence of A R Bardhan, the divisional commissioner of Jalpaiguri, district magistrate and superintendent of police.

The associations have said right now, tea estates are close and only activities like spraying of pesticides and irrigation are going on. But to ensure quality leaves after the lockdown, it is necessary to trim the bushes regularly.

“It would facilitate growth of new leaves and stop the overgrowth. As it is, the industry is bearing losses because of the lockdown and if tea bushes are not taken care of, there would be a fresh problem,” said Amitangshu Chakraborty, principal advisor, Indian Tea Planters’ Association.

He also said workers who were being engaged for spraying pesticides and irrigation would be paid wages. The planters, however, hinted that it would be tough to pay wages to all permanent workers for the lockdown period.

Sanjoy Bagchi, the secretary of the Dooars Branch of Indian Tea Association, said manufactured tea was yet to be sold as auctions had stopped.

“As a result, many gardens are facing crunch of cash. If the current situation persists, we apprehend it would create further problems for tea sector,” said Bagchi.

Bardhan said the proposals would be forwarded to higher officials.

In Alipurduar, the administration held a meeting with managers of tea gardens. The managers were told to prepare a list of the health staff working in tea estate so that they would be included in the insurance policy announced by the state in the wake of the corona infection.

They were also asked to conduct a survey and obtain details of the migrant workers who reached the gardens and ensure that all of them spent 14 days in quarantine.

“We have also asked them to keep their ambulances ready. If required, these vehicles would be used to carry patients. The managers should also check out arrangements at the quarantine centres which have been set up in tea estates,” said an official.