Concern! Tribals encroaching Tea Gardens in Kishanganj

Tea – “Chai” is the new identity of Kishanganj, Bihar. In fact, in a short time of 8 to 10 years, Kishanganj has made a name in India’s tea industry with its contribution as a tea producing district. About a decade ago, the tea gardens were developed in Pothia and Thakurganj blocks of Kishanganj. Now, just 10 kms. away from the district headquarters you can see the beautiful tea gardens at Belwa along the road leading towards Thakurganj.

Despite bestowed with ideal climate and topography for tea plants, Kishanganj got any attention for production of tea. In late 1990s and early 2000s, some businessmen came forward to enter into the field of tea production by getting the positive response from Tea Corporation of India. They had bought acres of land to develop tea gardens. The concept of tea gardens and tea manufacturing was altogether new for the people of Kishanganj, but it had gained quick response due to its multi benefits, and generated employment opportunities as well. A tea processing factory was also established in 2004 on the approval of Tea Corporation of India, but it is not functioning right now. The manufacturing plant has almost all the modern equipments, but the local administration and Tea Board is not giving any attention to start the unit.

However, nowadays the tea gardens / tea industry of Kishanganj is in news due to wrong reasons. For past few months, the tribals are forcefully encroaching the Tea Gardens land. Usually the tribals enter into the tea gardens in large numbers with sharp weapons in the night to encroach such lands. As per district administration and reliable sources, the tribals are targeting the “Bhudan” lands that have been earlier bought with tea garden owners at a reasonable rate.

After receiving the repeated complaints from Tea garden owners, finally DM Dr. Sandip Kumar R Padalkutti called a meeting of owner and subsidised land acquisition movement leaders in Kishanganj this Sunday. In the 3 hours long meeting, and after a long debate both the parties agreed upon solving the issue legally. DM Kishanganj said, all the controversial land will be officially measured within a time period of one month. Once the land measurement will be finished, the district administration will hand over the land to deserving party. The district administration has also appealed both the parties not to pluck the tea leaves or not to do any type of demonstration or encroachment till any judgment comes. Those tribals who have already sold their land to Tea Garden owners would not get back the land or any type of compensation, added the DM Kishanganj.

Of course, it is not legal to do cultivation or any type of profitable acts on the land identified by the government as “Bhudan Land” meant for tribals or weaker section of the society. However, sometime back the tea garden owners have bought the lands. Hence, forceful encroachment done by tribals under the guidance of subsidised land acquisition movement leaders is equally not a legal act. Need of the hour is that, District Administration of Kishanganj should take strict steps to resolve the issue on immediate basis. Unless, the forceful encroachment of Tea Garden land done by tribals may give birth to a dangerous trend in the peaceful district of Kishanganj. We can’t deny the possibility, the tribals may target the land of cultivation land of common people from the district as well and encroach them forcefully.