A deserted road at Diphu in Karbi Anglong on Monday during the KPLT strike to demand a separate Karbi state. Picture by UB Photos

Jorhat, Aug. 5: Tea gardens in violence-hit Karbi Anglong are staring at an uncertain future with production set to be hampered by lack of fuel to run the factories, coupled with the inability to ferry made tea from gardens to the auction centre.

“If the violence continues we will not be able to bring in coal to run the factories in this peak production season. We will also be unable to ferry made tea to the auction centre. Since tea is a perishable product, we are staring at a big problem,” North East Tea Association chairman Bidyananda Barkakoty told The Telegraph. The association has most of its member gardens in Karbi Anglong.

The hill district has about 50 big and small tea gardens, out of which six have factories. There are also three bought leaf factories in the district. The district produces about 35 lakh kg of made tea every year.

Making matters worse for the tea gardens is the fact that a 1,100-hour Karbi Anglong district strike has already begun.

Barkakoty said his association had appealed to the organisations that have called the strike to exempt the tea industry from its purview like in Darjeeling, where the tea industry has been exempted.

He said with Durga Puja round the corner, the gardens would not be able to pay bonus to the workers if they fail to produce or sell tea.

The association’s vice-chairman, D.P. Khaitan, who has a garden in Karbi Anglong, said activities in the gardens had not been hampered till now but if the situation continued for a few more days there would be shortage of fuel to run the factories.

“We bring our coal from Margherita and Naginimora areas of Upper Assam and if the violence and strikes continue, we will not be able to run the factories. This will be a disaster in this peak production season,” he said.

Khaitan said the estates would also not be able to bring in rations for the workers, as most gardens bought these from wholesale markets in Golaghat district.

Barkakoty said the tea garden owners in Karbi Anglong had been feeling insecure not only because of the recent developments arising out of the statehood demand but also frequent threats from criminals and militants. “Garden executives and owners receive regular threats from criminals and militants demanding money. Authorities should take necessary steps to provide us security,” he said.

There have been instances when militants have forcibly closed down tea estates in the district by threatening labourers and other employees.

Prakash Goala, secretary of the Karbi Anglong unit of the Assam Tea Tribes Students Association, said members of the association had been taking necessary steps to quell violence in the tea garden areas. “We will be holding a discussion with senior police officials today, seeking help to guard tea gardens,” he said.