Tea workers in West Tripura and Khowai districts have launched separate protests against the alleged cutting down of tea plants for the development of a playground and construction of a government office.
In West Tripura district, a delegation of tea workers on Wednesday approached the District Magistrate (DM), alleging that an attempt was being made to cut down tea plants on tea garden land for the construction of a playground. The workers alleged that supporters of the Tipra Motha Party (TMP) were involved in the initiative, triggering resentment among the tea garden community.
The issue reportedly relates to tea garden land in the Simna–Megli forest area. According to the workers, although the land belongs to BJP MLA and Deputy Speaker of the Tripura Legislative Assembly Ram Prasad Paul, the location is situated away from the main city area. They claimed that the proposed removal of tea plants for developing a large playground would severely affect the livelihood of several families dependent on the garden.
The workers said many families rely on tea cultivation for their daily income and warned that the destruction of tea plants could threaten their employment opportunities and future livelihood.
A delegation of tea workers later met West Tripura District Magistrate Dr Vishal Kumar and submitted their concerns, urging the administration to intervene and prevent the alleged cutting of tea plants.
Speaking to reporters, the workers demanded immediate administrative action to protect the tea garden and safeguard the interests of workers. They also sought an inquiry into the matter and urged authorities to halt any plan to remove tea plants until a proper decision is taken.
Meanwhile, a similar protest erupted at Dhalabil Tea Garden in Khowai district after tea workers alleged that tea plants were cut down using a bulldozer for clearing land for a proposed government office.
According to the workers, a contractor at the site informed them that the land was being cleared for the construction of a government office. The workers claimed that they noticed a bulldozer destroying tea plants in a section of the garden and rushed to the spot to question the activity.
The contractor allegedly told them that the administration had selected the site for the government project, following which the land was being cleared.
Opposing the move, the workers stopped the work and questioned how tea plants could be removed without prior consultation with the office-bearers of the tea industry cooperative society managing the garden.
The workers said nearly 1,000 families were once dependent on Dhalabil Tea Garden. However, due to the deteriorating condition of the garden, the number of workers has reportedly declined to around 200, with the remaining workers still relying on the available tea plants for their livelihood.
Expressing concern over the alleged indiscriminate cutting of tea plants, the workers said any requirement of tea garden land for government projects should be discussed with the cooperative society and workers’ representatives before taking any decision.
The workers announced that they would approach the Khowai Sub-Divisional Magistrate regarding the issue. They demanded that all land-clearing and tea plant-cutting activities remain suspended until discussions are held with the administration and a solution is reached.
They further demanded that any proposal for construction of a government office on tea garden land should be finalised only after consultations with all stakeholders. Tension continues to prevail among workers at Dhalabil Tea Garden over the issue.