‘State to form spl task force to crack down on adulterated tea’

MP, 20 Feb 2025, Alipurduar: The Bengal government has announced a series of measures to address concerns in North Bengal’s tea industry. After a high-level meeting at Nabanna on Tuesday, state Labour minister Moloy Ghatak stated that strict action will be taken against low-quality, adulterated tea and dust tea. A special task force will be formed and two laboratories will be set up in North Bengal to test the chemical composition of tea and ensure its safety for consumption.

Additionally, the government will closely monitor adulterated Darjeeling tea from Nepal and dust tea from Assam. Bought-leaf tea factories will also be under strict surveillance to maintain quality standards.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the Tea Board of India, tea garden owners’ associations, small tea farmers’ associations and senior state officials, including the Chief Secretary and top Labour department officials.

Industry stakeholders have largely welcomed the state government’s intervention. Chinmay Dhar, North Bengal Chairman of the Tea Association of India, stated: “I appreciate the government’s efforts. For the first time, almost every issue affecting North Bengal’s tea industry over the past decade was discussed. We are optimistic that more such meetings will be held in the future, ensuring faster resolutions.”

The tea industry has faced severe financial losses, with auction prices dropping last year and extreme weather impacting production. Tea Board data shows losses amounting to thousands of crores, which were discussed in the meeting.

The state government reiterated its policy on land use in tea estates. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had previously announced that 30 per cent of uncultivated land in tea gardens could be used for alternative industries, including tourism.

Minister Ghatak clarified that only land unsuitable for tea cultivation will be considered, ensuring tea production remains unaffected.

Additionally, factories producing low-quality or unfit tea may face license cancellation.

Bijaygopal Chakraborty, president of The Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers Associations, called the meeting productive, stating: “It is evident the government is serious about supporting the tea industry. We welcome the formation of the task force and new laboratories.”

Courtesy & source: Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/state-to-form-spl-task-force-to-crack-down-on-adulterated-tea-599507