Bengal: Anit Thapa writes to CM urging extra agri pattas for tea garden workers

DARJEELING: Anit Thapa, Chief Executive, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA,) in a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has urged the Bengal government to hand over agricultural land rights documents (pattas) to tea garden workers who have been engaged in cultivating small plots of unused land in the tea gardens since long.

The Bengal government has already announced that homestead pattas for 5 decimal land will be given to landless tea garden workers.The letter stated: “It is heartening to see the state government’s proactive efforts to address the long-standing land related issues faced by tea garden workers. By recognising their contribution and empowering them through land ownership, the state government is fostering social justice, inclusivity and equitable development in our state.”

“The tea garden workers have long been an integral part of our state’s heritage and have played a vital role in the growth of our tea industry. They have also been engaged in small farming practices since time immemorial for their own consumption on the surplus unutilised land of tea gardens.”

“I would like to request you to kindly consider providing agricultural land rights (pattas) to them as per their possession so that they can cultivate their land with a full sense of security and dignity,” Thapa urged in his letter.