Government Schedules High-Level Meeting to Address Tea Industry Concerns Amid Pesticide Crisis

Agencies, Siliguri, February 13, 2025: In response to the growing concerns surrounding the use of banned or restricted pesticides in tea gardens, the West Bengal government has called for a high-level meeting to address the pressing issues faced by the tea industry. The meeting, scheduled for February 18, 2025, at 4:30 PM, will be held in the chief secretary conference room at Nabanna, and will be chaired by Moloy Ghatak, the minister in charge of the labour, law, and judicial departments. Dr. Manoj Pant will also attend the meeting, which will involve top officials from various departments and organizations.

Key attendees will include the additional chief secretary of the Land & Land Reforms department, the chairman of the Tea Board of India, the principal secretary of the Industry, Commerce, and Enterprises department, the inspector general of police (North Bengal), the labour commissioner, and the chairpersons of prominent tea industry bodies such as the West Bengal Regional Committee of the Indian Tea Association and the North Bengal Small Tea Planters Association. District magistrates from Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, North Dinajpur, and South Dinajpur will participate in the meeting via video conference.

The meeting comes in the wake of a state government gazette notification issued on February 11, 2025, which highlighted the unauthorized use of harmful pesticides in tea gardens, particularly in North Bengal. Despite the prohibition, reports suggest that banned chemicals continue to be used covertly in tea production, posing significant health risks to both workers and consumers, while also damaging the reputation of West Bengal's tea in domestic and international markets. The situation has raised alarms about potential ecological damage and the safety of the environment.

The state government has invoked Section 27 of the Insecticides Act, 1968, and the Insecticides (Prohibition) Order, 2023, granting the necessary authority to enforce the pesticide ban. The government has outlined several measures, including awareness campaigns to educate farmers and small tea growers about the prohibition, efforts to prevent unauthorized use and sale of banned pesticides, as well as strict inspections, sampling, and testing of tea products. Tea shipments will also be subject to mandatory testing clearance reports, and customs officers at international and inter-state borders will conduct thorough checks.

The West Bengal Tea Directorate, under the labour department, will spearhead these efforts, with support from the additional labour commissioner, North Bengal zone. Local district administrations have been instructed to assist in ensuring compliance with the new regulations.

The upcoming meeting is aimed at discussing and implementing strategies to address these critical issues, safeguard the tea industry, protect public health, and preserve the environment for future generations. Official sources confirmed that the government is committed to taking necessary actions to curb the misuse of pesticides and restore the integrity of the tea sector.