March 30, 2022
Sudip Bandyopadhyay’s Supplementary Ques, asking about the no. of tea gardens closed in north Bengal
Sir, tea is a drink next accepted after water in the whole world. The Tea Board Headquarters is in Kolkata city under my Parliamentary constituency. I should rather say that India was the largest tea exporter. Now, it has come to the fourth position after Kenya, Sri Lanka, China and Indonesia. The Darjeeling tea is accepted as one of the best teas in the world. The conditions of the tea gardens mainly in the North Bengal area are very serious. A few tea gardens have also been closed down. The Ministry of Commerce has assured us that these tea gardens will be opened under its care but no step hasbeen taken so far. I want to know from the Minister as to how many tea gardens have been closed in Darjeeling and Dooars areas uptill now and whether the Minister is in a keen mood to visit and order an onspot inquiry about these tea gardens. It is because this tea is generating foreign money for the Government exchequer and we should not forget it.
