Tripura to have ‘tea museum’ at Durgabari Tea Estate

Agartala: The Tripura Tea Development Corporation is waiting for a green signal from the North East Council (NEC) to set up a Tea Museum at Durgabari Tea Estate, which is located in the outskirts of Agartala City.

The Tea Museum will showcase the legacy of the tea industry that is considered as the longest surviving industry in the northeastern state, Tripura Tea Development Corporation Chairman Santosh Saha said.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that all the states should come out with museums showcasing the legacy of that particular state. Tea industry in Tripura is over a century old and we want to make people aware of the historical backdrop of Tripura tea,” Saha said.

According to Saha, a total of three proposals were placed before the NEC, including the modernization of state-owned Brahmakunda and Durgabari tea estates along with the Tea museum.

“If everything goes as per the plan, we shall make considerable progress within the end of this year. Rs 2.30 crore has already been sanctioned for the Brahmakunda project. Our proposal for the Tea Museum is around Rs 3.5 crore,” said Saha.    

Saha also informed that the civil administration has started a baseline survey for the land allotment to tea garden workers. As per the state government’s scheme, each of the families is entitled to get two gandas (Local area measurement unit) of land.

“During the survey, we have found that a lot of the tea garden workers do not have proper documents. So, the government in consultation with Tripura Tea Development Corporation has decided to issue valid documents to the tea garden workers as well,” said Saha.

There are altogether 54 tea estates spread over 12,800 hectares of land and 2,755 small gardens planted in an area of one 1,398 hectares of land. The total number of tea garden workers stands at 7,230.  

Slamming the previous Left Front governments, Saha said, “The Tripura tea industry suffered a lot during the Left regime. Many tea gardens were closed and no proper attempts were undertaken to raise the wages of tea garden workers. After the BJP came to power, the daily wages have been increased to Rs 176 from Rs 105 in two phases.”

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