Dibrugarh: Small tea growers in Charaideo on Monday sought relief for gardens damaged in the July 19 floods.They demonstrated outside the Sonari DC’s office under the All Assam Small Tea Growers’ Association (AASTGA), Charaideo unit, seeking Rs 10,000 per bigha in compensation, free fertilisers and an expedited loss assessment.AASTGA representatives said Charaideo has 1,847 small tea growers. Though the assessment is underway, they estimated that over 300 gardens were affected in Sonari, Sapekhati, Mahmora, Longpotia, Borhat, Titagarh, Bimolapur and Charaipung.“More than 40 days have passed since the floods, but we have not received any assistance. Our tea bushes have been damaged, and we cannot pluck green leaves. We need immediate financial support to restore our gardens,” said AASTGA Charaideo district unit president Gajen Lahon.The growers also raised the issue of tea cess, claiming that around Rs 182 crore collected from small tea growers was with state govt. They urged its use to assist growers affected by natural calamities.“We do not want to put an additional burden on the govt. The cess collected from small tea growers should be used for our welfare, especially when our gardens have been damaged by floods,” said AASTGA Charaideo district unit joint secretary Bijit Tamuly.They cited Assam Directorate of Tea’s cess-utilisation policy, which provides for a special subsidy when natural calamities affect tea plants and human lives, subject to govt determining the assistance.The growers said unemployed, educated youths managed gardens and struggled with restoration costs. They submitted a memorandum to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma seeking a survey and aid.
