Neeraj Zimba, the BJP MLA of Darjeeling, wrote to governor C.V. Ananda Bose on Monday, seeking the latter’s intervention in a recent decision of the Mamata Banerjee government to allow tea estates to use up to 30 per cent of their land for non-tea use such as tourism.
“I have expressed my concern, saying the proposal prioritises corporate interests over the fundamental rights of communities that have sustained our tea industry for generations,” said Zimba.
Last Wednesday, Mamata, at the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS), said her government had taken certain decisions ahead of the summit to promote private investments in the state.
She said that henceforth, “wherever in tea gardens, land is available and tea plantations are not there”, 30 per cent of such land would be available for hotel business, commercial utilisation and eco-tourism purposes.
Before this, the land cap for such activities in tea estates used to be 15 per cent.
Her assertion led to protests across the hills that produce the famed Darjeeling Tea, with leaders of different political parties and even the legislators pointing out that the policy could even displace tea workers and their families.
Even Anit Thapa, who heads the Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha, an ally of the TMC in the hills, asserted they would not let it happen in the hills. He apprised the chief minister and the chief secretary of the dissent in the hills on the issue.
Zimba, referring to his letter, said the state decision was made without consulting the stakeholders, elected representatives and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).
“The GTA has the jurisdiction on land matters. This unilateral approach (of the state government) undermines democratic principles and disregards the rights and dignity of the Gorkha and tribal communities. The governor should intervene and halt the implementation of this policy,” said the MLA. “The state should primarily focus on granting legitimate land rights to tea garden workers and their families in the hills, the Terai and the Dooars,” he added.
