DIBRUGARH, Oct 18 � Several bags of green tea leaves were strewn on NH-37 near Lahoal Railway Station today in protest against low price for green tea leaves in the State. The small tea growers have been demanding reasonable price for their produce. The manufacturers at present are paying the growers merely Rs 4 per kg of purchased green tea leaves .
The small tea growers of Lahoal area stood beside the strewn green tea leaves and blocked the National Highway to register their protest. The small tea growers� body has been demanding uniform and reasonable price as per Tea Marketing Control Order rules laid down by the Tea Board. Several vehicles were stranded on the road on both ends of the road, causing traffic snarls at various intersections of the road. The protesters dispersed after an hour.
Similar protest was also staged at Rajgarh under Tingkhong PS yesterday, where hundreds of small tea growers marched to the office of the Circle Office of Tingkhong and submitted a memorandum. The small tea growers demanded immediate implementation of the TMCO guidelines for fixation of price for green tea leaves.
