Borjhar, July 6: Five years after it was shut down following largescale violence, Rani tea garden re-opened its doors today bringing smiles back on the faces of its workers.
The garden was closed since March 22, 2010, after the proprietor of the estate, Mridul Kumar Bhattacharjee, shot dead a class-VIII student, Pradip Murari, and injured six others while trying to disperse a crowd that had gathered near his bungalow to protest against his alleged assault on a woman a day before.
Two years after this incident, on December 26, 2012, Bhattacharjee and his wife Reeta were hacked to death at Konapathar tea estate on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border in Tinsukia district by labourers of the garden.
The garden management lodged a complaint with the police on theft of garden materials. After the arrests two garden labourers, around 200 labourers, armed with bows and arrows, gathered near the manager's bungalow, barged into it and set it on fire. It was believed that the arrest had triggered the attack.
Following this ruckus, another property of the Bhattacharjees - Konapathar garden - was also closed. However, it reopened in March 2013. Both are owned by MKB (Asia) Pvt. Ltd.
The decision to reopen was taken after Brihattar Rani Anchalik Nagarik Adhikar Surakha Somittee and Upardani Taluk, a body of 15 hamlets near the garden and its owners, reached an understanding.
A resident of Upardani Taluk, Nabin Basumatary, reopened the garden by cutting a ribbon. About 250 people attended the function held on the garden premises.
Rani tea estate, about 20km from Guwahati, is spread over 376 hectares near the Rani reserve forest in Kamrup. It was the first certified organic garden in Assam and sold its produce abroad.
The garden's manager, Rajib Singh Rai, said the management would take all necessary steps to restore the lost glory of the tea estate. "We have got excellent cooperation from the residents. We will build the required infrastructure here and gradually restore the past status of the garden," Rai told The Telegraph .
A meet in this regard was held on May 27 at the Kamrup deputy commissioner's office where a unanimous decision of reopening the garden was taken. The management today provided a cheque for Rs 3 lakh as compensation to Murari's parents. The injured were also provided compensation.
Vice-president of Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangh, Sumer Singh Gaur, who was present at the function, said reopening the garden was a good sign for the workers.
Secretary of Brihattar Rani Anchalik Nagarik Adhikar Surakha Samittee, Dinesh Das, said the garden had a bright future and would generate employment opportunities for the laid-off workers. About 300 garden workers were rendered jobless after its closure. Rai today handed over the charge of manager of the garden to Diwakar Rai.
