Dhumchipara tea garden reopens after 18 months

Dhumchipara tea garden in Alipurduar district of Bengal, which is owned by the Duncans Industries reopened on Monday after 18 months.

The garden had closed following non-payment of dues to its 1,700 permanent and temporary workers.

A total 1,020 workers reported for work on Monday. District Magistrate Debi Prasad Karanam said the workers had been suffering for months following the closure and the administration is happy over its reopening.

No comment was made by the management of the garden.

Duncans Group’s Non-executive Chairman GP Goenka had met state Chief Secretary Basudeb Bandopadhyay in Kolkata on December 29 and had said two days later that the company was looking to reopen its tea gardens one by one, with Dhumchipara tea garden this week.

Birpara garden is already operational.On January 28 last year, the Union Commerce and Industry Ministry had issued a notification under section 16E of the Tea Act to take over the management or control of the company’s seven tea estates Birpara, Garganda, Lankapara, Tulsipara, Huntapara and Dhumchipara, besides Demdima tea estate which is operated by Duncans-controlled Santipara Tea Company Limited.

Duncans Industries had challenged the notification in court and got back control of the gardens following a Calcutta High Court order in September last year.