Darjeeling Tea Unions Agree to Land Survey, But Await Details on Land Document

Tea trade unions that span political boundaries in the Darjeeling hills have consented to let the state government survey tea garden land, but they haven't determined what kind of land document they want the government to provide to garden workers.

The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) held a conference in Kurseong on Sunday, which was attended by tea garden union representatives. The purpose of the meeting was to examine the revised notice that the state government released on November 2 for the tea gardens located in Darjeeling and Kalimpong.

We all agree that the tea gardens' land has to be surveyed in light of the recent notice. Suraj Subba, the Joint Forum's head, said, "We haven't, however, decided on the kind of land deed that is most appropriate for tea garden workers. "We will oppose the move if the land document is not to our satisfaction."

North Bengal's tea unions are united under the Joint Forum. The Joint Forum comprises around twenty tea unions, with the exception of Trinamul and Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM).

The forum played a key role in the opposition to the state government's August plan to give each of the 87 tea garden owners in the Darjeeling hills five decimals of land.

The opposition claimed that many tea garden employees should have received documentation as they were in possession of more than five decimals.

Anit Thapa, the BGPM president, played a key role in persuading the state administration to reevaluate the first notice about tea land rights, even though he had previously endorsed the government's five-decimal system.

There was so much opposition to the planned five-decimal system that official surveyors were prevented from visiting several Darjeeling tea estates. Consequently, as of September 12, the survey in the Darjeeling hills was terminated.

A notification to "resume survey work in tea gardens in GTA areas without reference to any limitations on area held" was sent out by the state administration on November 2.

"We have no objections since the government is merely discussing a survey," Subba said.

The leaders of the opposition insisted that they would not accept the state government's original proposal for a "homestead" patta.

The agricultural patta, which has a much greater land ceiling, is another kind of patta that may be given to tea garden laborers.

"After the events of today, survey work on garden property will shortly begin. GTA chairman Thapa said, "We need to put politics aside and focus on this crucial problem affecting our people.