Tea Estates in North Bengal Devastated by Extreme Weather

In a devastating blow to North Bengal's tea industry, continuous rain and landslides have wreaked havoc on tea estates in the Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts. The damaging weather events have resulted in severe crop losses and crippled infrastructure, leaving thousands of workers in distress.

The Tea Association of India's North Bengal branch Secretary, Sumit Ghosh, has called for immediate government intervention. Ghosh highlighted the serious situation in several estates, including the Mechpara Tea Estate, where floodwaters have obliterated 2000 tea bushes, demolished a 30-foot embankment, and blocked essential roads, affecting 6000 workers.

With multiple estates reporting catastrophic damage, from washed away processed tea to impassable roads, the region's tea sector is in turmoil. Officials estimate the collective loss to be in crores, making swift governmental action crucial to safeguard both the livelihoods of workers and the future viability of these plantations.

(With inputs from agencies.)