North Bengal Tea Gardens severely hit by Floods

Kolkata, Sep 11 (UNI) The Indian Tea Association(ITA) has expressed serious concern after scores of tea estates were badly affectd by flash floods in Jalpaiguri district.

ITA, a platform of tea planters, described the flood, triggered by continuous rains, as alarming. It said both production and supply of raw materials came to a standstill due to breaches in link roads.

To cope with the fury the army was deployed in central Dooars and other affected areas of the tea growing district to rescue the marooned people.

Reports said the recent spate of floods also breached protection walls and "bundhs" at strategic points that had severely dislocated communications in the tea gardens. In many areas flood water damaged standing tea bushes, factories and labour lines rendering workers homeless and making them susceptible to water borne diseases and malaria.

A report said water from the Leash river almost covered the vital National Highway 31 and adjacent railway tracks that link West Bengal with Assam. The floods also damaged the approach bridge on Chupalang river, the lifeline of Carron tea estate, and the Jiti and Jaldhaka rivers were eroding tea bearing land in Dooars, where tea is the main cash crop.

Breach in the Rheti river embankment had caused flood in Karballa, Moraghat and Telepara tea estates. The overflowing Umesh canal was affecting the Banarhat tea garden, one of the largest tea estates. Besides, the Sarugaon garden, Satali tea estate, Central Dooars TE, and the Chuapara TE among others were affected by the floods.

The ITA's Dooars unit had urged the district administration to undertake immediate flood protection measures to avoid further loss of property.

The situation compounded the problems being faced by the tea industry in North Bengal.

Excessive rainfall and reduced hours of sunlight were affecting crop and production across the Dooars this month, the ITA members said. Due to the dislocation despatching tea was also seriously hit.

Unused tea stocks were posing problems in the estates. This could lead to serious cash flow problems for the industry, already reeling under prolonged recession, the ITA members said.

UNI