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CPI(ML) protest over plight of small tea growers

By Staff correspondent

DIBRUGARH, Oct 27 � Partyworkers of the Dibrugarh district unit of the CPI(ML) on Monday threw away several kilograms of rejected green tea leaves on the Moran-Naharkatia road in Rajgarh town in protest against non-implementation of the green tea leaves pricing formula (TMCO) by bought leaf tea manfacturers.

With green tea leaves strewn over the road, the partyworkers blocked the road for about an hour demanding strict implementation of the Tea Board�s formula for determination of price for green tea leaves. The partyworkers alleged that the profit-hungry tea manufacturers, who used to offer incentives and commissions to the collecting agents to gather maximum harvest during the first flush season, were rejecting green tea leaves now, citing poor quality as the main reason.

The protestors also sent a bag each of the rejected green tea leaves to Deputy Commissioner Aruna Rajoria and Circle Officer of Tinkgong revenue circle, Pabitra Kumar Das, as a sign of anguish for their failure to execute the Tea Marketing Control Order of the Tea Board (TMCO) to determine the price for the growers and the manufacturers.

Bolindra Saikia, general secretary of the district unit of CPI(ML) said that they would continue to protest if the authorities did not ensure fulfilment of their demands. In a memorandum submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, the CPI(ML) has also asked the government to arrange for compensation if the manufacturers failed to pay the growers as per the TMCO rules, besides providing a special package to the samll tea growers during such annual crisis.

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