Tripura Tea Workers’ Union opposes palm oil cultivation in tea gardens....

Tea produced in the state is widely appreciated across the country, and every year Tripura tea is also exported abroad. However, a matter of concern is that some tea garden owners in the state have started cultivating palm oil, lemon, and areca nut within tea gardens in pursuit of higher profits. The Tripura Tea Workers’ Union, affiliated with the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, has strongly opposed such initiatives.

On Saturday, the Tripura Tea Workers’ Union convened a press conference at the Agartala Press Club, where its General Secretary Tapan Kumar De strongly protested against these developments. He stated that palm oil, like rubber plantations, causes environmental pollution. If such cultivation is introduced within tea gardens, tea production will decline, and the livelihoods of tea garden workers will be adversely affected. He urged the concerned tea garden owners to immediately refrain from such activities.

The General Secretary further warned that if the garden owners do not withdraw from these practices, the union will launch a larger movement in the coming days in order to protect the livelihoods of the workers.

Speaking at the press conference, Haripada Nayek, President of the Tripura Tea Workers’ Union, and Uttam Sarkar, In-charge, among others, said that if the concerned tea garden owners do not reverse their decision within the next 15 days, the union will approach the High Court. The leaders also urged the state and central governments to take proactive steps in this matter.