The NID site. Telegraph picture

Jorhat, Feb. 17: The state-owned Assam Tea Corporation Limited (ATCL) has decided to take back the Tocklai tea estate, on which the National Institute of Design (NID) is proposed to be constructed, from the Tea Research Association (TRA).

ATCL managing director Harish Sonowal conveyed the corporation’s decision last night in a meeting attended by representatives of the Asam Chah Mazdoor Sangh (ACMS), officials of the Jorhat district administration, local legislator Rana Goswami and Tocklai Experimental Station director Mridul Hazarika.

“It could be said that we have informally taken back the garden from the TRA but formally it will be handed back in April, the new crop season, and after the formalities are completed. The ATCL will find out if the TRA has any liabilities like PF and gratuities,” he added.

The garden, which was a part of the state-owned Cinnamara tea estate, had been given to the Tea Research Association, which runs the Tocklai Experimental Station, through an agreement with the ATCL in November 1975. However, over the last decade or so, the TRA has been trying to hand back the possession of the garden because the loss-making concern was a drain on its purse. But the ATCL had shown no interest in taking it back until now.

Hazarika said it was a great relief that the garden was being taken back by the ATCL. “We were facing losses of about Rs 50 to Rs 60 lakh every year and had to divert funds meant for research and development to the garden. Now, at least a part of this money can be saved,” he added.

Recently, Dispur had decided to set up the NID on the tea estate. However, Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha and garden workers yesterday obstructed the clearing of a portion of the garden, on which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the NID on Saturday, in protest against garden land being used for construction. They fear that the depletion of land would affect their livelihood.

Sonowal said the workers’ apprehension that their livelihood would be affected because a large chunk of land had been set aside for the NID and this would reduce the garden area was unfounded.

Bilahi Tanti, the president of the Jorhat district unit of the ACMS, they would allow the construction of the NID to continue as Sonowal and Goswami had assured the workers of paying all PF and gratuity dues. “The MD has also said land for tea plantation would be given in lieu of the area being used up (for the NID) and we are satisfied with this,” he said.

Sonowal said he had told the union leaders that the government would give them the same amount of land (required for setting up the NID) — 93 bighas —under Cinnamara Grant in the district.

“This year we have sown 74 hectares with tea saplings, taking the total upto 180 hectares since 2005. This year, we also plan to install modern machinery in Cinnamara and Amlokhi tea estates to fast track the revival of the 15 gardens under ATCL which were once declared sick,” he added.