AGARTALA, Nov 5 � Tripura Government on Friday made it clear that it would not allow tea garden owners to go for rubber cultivation in the tea estates citing economic viability.
As per the government norms, at least 70 per cent tea estate land should be covered with tea and rest 30 per cent may be used for other purpose like cultivating cash crops.
Tripura has 55 tea estates spreading over 14,000 acres of land. However, a section of tea growers have started raising rubber trees within the tea estate on the ground that tea is no longer a viable business.
Alarmed by the trend, Industries and Commerce Minister had meetings with tea planters to make them understand the government stand on tea estates.
During a survey, it was found that about 70 per cent land earmarked for tea cultivation is virtually left barren. �The government wants tea planters to act as per the guideline and not to go for rubber plantation�, said the Industries Minister here.
Talking to reporters at Civil Secretariat, Chowdhury said that sizable area of tea cultivation allotted land remained as barren year after year. �The government will not tolerate this kind of act on the part of tea planters. The government may acquire the �barren� land if tea planters fail to utilise the land as per the norms�, he said.
Chowdhury further said, tea planters have been trying to clarify their stand saying shortage of labourers emerged as major problem after introduction of NREGA.
