Tea garden manager held for ‘tree felling’ without forest department nod

The manager of Dima tea estate in the Kalchini block of Alipurduar district was arrested by forest officials on Tuesday for allegedly felling 130 shade trees without taking mandatory permission from the state forest department.

Arrested manager Avijit Raha was later produced before the chief judicial magistrate’s court, which granted him bail.

The rare case triggered concern among tea planters across the Dooars. Tea trade union leaders have expressed apprehension over its possible implications for the garden’s workforce.

Sources in the department said Avijit Raha, the manager, had sought permission to fell shade trees — those planted to provide shade to tea bushes across the plantations — in specific sections of the garden.

“The management had stated that excessive growth of shade trees could affect the healthy growth of tea bushes. Based on the application, the department granted permission to fell trees in designated sections,” said a source.

However, foresters later received information that the garden management had felled around 130 shade trees in an area for which no permission had been granted.

Following the violation, they arrested Raha on Tuesday morning and handed him over to Kalchini police station. Later, he got bail.

The arrest has led to repercussions among tea planters.

Amitangshu Chakraborty, the principal adviser to the Indian Tea Planters Association (ITPA), described the arrest as unfortunate.

“This arrest is very unfortunate. We have always cooperated with forest officials whenever a leopard enters a tea garden, or elephants cause damage. However, the manager of a tea estate has been arrested over the felling of a few shade trees,”
he said.

Rajesh Barla, general secretary of the Bharatiya Tea Workers’ Union, said the arrest might have an impact on garden workers ahead of Durga Puja.

“The forest department was hyperactive in this case. They should have considered the interests of workers. In response to the incident, if the management now takes any stringent action, who will take responsibility for the livelihoods of around 2,500 workers? I have informed the Alipurduar MP about the matter. The workers are also worried,” Barla said.