New government urged to take steps for development of tea industry

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

Golaghat, May 23: The joint forum of three Assam based tea producers’ associations has welcomed the new government to be formed under the leadership of Sarbanda Sonowal.

Assam Tea Planters Association (ATPA), North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) and Bharatiya Chah Parishad (BCP) have jointly welcomed the new State Government and pledged to work hand-in-hand with the new government. The joint forum has urged the newly-elected government to persuade the Central Government to declare tea as tiol drink of India.

The chairman of ATPA, Raj Baruah, chairman of NETA, Manoj Jallan and the chairman of BCP, Mayank Agarwalla have expressed their views regarding the present scerio of the tea industry in the State and urged the new government to help and facilitate necessary requirements for the survival of the age-old industry. On the other hand, the vice-chairman of the Tea Board of India, Bidyanda Barkakoty has expressed satisfaction that the newly-elected leaders were well aware of the problems of the tea industry and hoped that the newly-elected government would take steps for revival of 15 tea gardens of Assam Tea Corporation, activate the Directorate of Tea, establish a tea auction centre in Jorhat and appoint professiols related to the tea sector as CMD or director in these tea organizations rather than bureaucrats.