DIBRUGARH, May 11 � Sree Kamakhya Tea Company Private Limited has offered to transfer a portion of its Manohari tea estate land for establishment of Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) battalion headquarters. The ITBP, a para-military force formed to guard the country�s boundary, ever since its raising soon after the 1962 war with China, was searching for a plot of land on logistical grounds since past few years near the city here.
The proposed plot of land offered is the Manohari tea estate of Sree Kamakhya Tea Company Private Limited, some 16 kilometres from the city centre here. The plot of land measuring approximately 280 bighas was reportedly inspected and approved by a team of ITBP officers recently. The demarcated land falls under Lahoal mouza under the Dibrugarh East Revenue Circle. In a letter written to the Assistant Commandant, officer commanding, ITBP, Mohanbari, Sree Kamakhya Tea Company Private Limited stated that there was no suit on the land and could be offered for sale keeping in view the national interest.
It needs to be mentioned here that the district administration was lethargic in identifying site for the proposed ITBP batallion headquarter although the request for a plot from the ITBP had come even before ITBP Director General wrote a letter to the Deputy Commissioner here, asking for a suitable site in 2009. Although Ghooronia tea estate and Kabir tea estate had shown interest to sell off part of their land to the para-military force for the purpose, the administration failed to initiate for reasons unknown.
The Sree Kamakhya Tea Company Private Limited has reportedly sought to sell off the plot, mostly with tea bushes at the rate of rupees three lakh per bigha. As learned, the ITBP personnel were already in touch with the management of Manohari tea estate.
Meanwhile, the sale plan of the tea estate has not gone well with the workers who earn their daily bread by toiling in the plantations. The workers have expressed apprehension that they may lose job and get evicted from the site. Assam Tea Tribes Students� Association has already written a letter to the Deputy Commissioner, demanding cancellation of any such move by Manohari tea estate authorities. ATTSA has threatened to shed blood if necessary to retain the plot. The Manohari tea
estate land deal is being sought to be brokered by a city-based income tax consultant, according to authoritative sources.
