Darjeeling, Aug. 31: There were no negotiations, no threat letters, but a red flag planted firmly on the garden premises overnight — an ominous sign that it was time for the estate to cough up money, if it were to survive in war-torn Nepal.

The east was relatively free of the Maoist problem, but no more. Meghma Garden — located in Ilam district at an altitude of 7,800 feet — had to declare a lockout early this month and move its workers to India following indications that the Maoists were about to demand a hefty sum of Rs 16 lakh (Nepali currency).

“I had told my workers earlier to move out of the region if they faced any threat from the Maoists. A red flag was planted and news spread that the rebels were about to demand Rs 16 lakh. My people immediately moved out and the garden shut down for more than a month,” said Madan Tamang, the proprietor of the garden and leader of the Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League.

Though Amar, a self-styled chief of the area, had met Tamang along with two accomplices in July, no demand for money was then made.

“I was addressing a meeting, when they came and introduced themselves. Even as the meeting was in progress, local labourers started moving out and I had a feeling that I knew who these men were. At the end of the session, I had a heated exchange with my visitors over Maoist ideology, only to have the red flag planted soon after,” said Tamang, who has refused to cough up the money as “it was against my principles”.

“I will not even pay Rs 16, forget 16 lakh. My principle does not allow me to encourage extortion. Donation is different. Everyone gives it willingly, but the moment someone demands a particular sum it is extortion,” he added.

The estate at Meghma, the highest tea garden in the world, covers more than 80 acres and produces high quality Oolong tea.

“We produce around 4,000 kg of fine quality tea every year, all of which is exported to different parts of the world,” said Tamang. Firm in his principle, the garden owner sees little chance of immediate reopening of the estate at a time when the Maoists have issued notices declaring the formation of Kirat Autonomous People’s government in Ilam.

The tea bushes of the estate have reportedly grown tall since no pruning has been done, but the garden owner believes that nothing can be done about it just now. “Anyway, the plants will not be spoilt if they grow tall. They can always be pruned later on,” Tamang said.