A delegation of BJP leaders led by Darjeeling MP Raju Bista met governor C.V. Ananda Bose on Wednesday and sought his immediate intervention so that the Bengal government revoked the notification it had issued on February 7, allowing the use of up to 30 per cent of unused land in tea gardens for tourism and other activities.

“We have urged the governor to intervene and halt the implementation of the new policy. We believe it threatens the livelihoods of around 2.5 lakh tea garden workers and lakhs of seasonal workers. By changing the character of land that has been used in the tea sector for generations, the policy will endanger the employment security and basic rights of tea garden workers,” said Bista.

According to the February 7 notification, 30 per cent of unused land on tea plantations can be used for tourism resorts, plantation, animal husbandry, horticulture, floriculture, medicinal plants, cultural/recreational & exhibition centres, and café or restaurants.

Earlier, the ceiling had been 15 per cent.

The notification also said portions of the unused land could be used for hydropower, agri-based units, pharmaceutical units, biogas plants, CNG stations and electric vehicle charging stations.

The notification backfired with some hill-based parties resorting to protests.

Following the protests, chief minister Mamata Banerjee came up with a clarification on Tuesday. She said no land with tea bushes would be used for alternative purposes and the interests of workers would not be affected in any manner.

“We will also ensure that if a tea tourism unit is opened or any other commercial activity is initiated on unused land, 80 per cent of the total workforce is from among the local population. We will not provide 30 per cent land at one go but in a phase-wise manner,” Mamata had said.

Despite her assurance, the saffron camp wants the state to revoke the policy.

“The policy was declared without consulting tea workers, trade unions, Tea Board and elected representatives of the Darjeeling, the Terai and the Dooars. The tea industry is the mainstay of the economy in north Bengal and we apprehend the policy will pose a risk to the socio-economic stability of the region. That is why we have approached the governor to stop its implementation,” said Bista.

TMC leaders, however, said the BJP was trying to politicise the issue.

Over the years, the saffron party and its legislators have failed to do anything for the tea population and are now trying to increase the support base ahead of next year’s Assembly polls, they said.

“The tea population has complete confidence in the chief minister for the slew of schemes which she has implemented in the tea belt for them. The BJP, on the other hand, hasn’t done anything for the workers and their families. Now, they are trying to mislead people with political dividends. Such plans will not work,” said Ritabrata Banerjee, TMC’s Rajya Sabha member.