Row over medical college plan on tea land as Majherdabri workers fear job losses

Workers and residents of the Majherdabri tea estate on the outskirts of Alipurduar town held a demonstration on Wednesday opposing the proposed government medical college on a 30-acre plot of the tea garden, alleging the project would reduce the plantation area and threaten their livelihoods.

After assuming office, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that his government would set up medical colleges in three districts, including Alipurduar. Based on the decision, officials of the district land and land reforms department visited the tea estate to identify the proposed site for the medical college.

On Wednesday, several workers and residents gathered in front of the garden’s factory to protest against the proposed project. When Chinmoy Dhar, the garden's general manager, reached the spot, protesters confined him for nearly half an hour, telling him they would not allow the construction of the medical college on tea garden land.

“We were not informed about the proposed project. Recently, we noticed land being measured for the medical college. We do not want a medical college to be built by uprooting tea bushes. Without the tea bushes, where will we work?” said Kabita Lakra, a woman worker who joined the protest.

“The district administration should find an alternative site for the medical college, instead of our garden’s land,” she added.

The workers said using tea plantation land for alternative uses would gradually reduce the area under tea cultivation and jeopardise their jobs.

Later, a group of workers reached Dooars Kanya, the district administrative headquarters, demanding that Dhar accompany them to meet district magistrate Mayuri Vasu.

Dhar joined the delegation, and the protesters submitted a memorandum to the DM. Dhar said the medical college would not be pursued at the proposed site if the workers opposed it.