From Peck in Milan.
Listed as a flavoured tea, but description is that of coffee. I think there may be something lost in translation!
Still, I like to list all references to Jutlibari tea
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Health concerns on Tea Estates
The Assam Tribune Online
Health still a major concern in TEs
Staff correspondent
DIBRUGARH, Sept 4 – Despite several initiatives by the State government, health conditions in tea estates of Assam have continued to worry the Health department. Health intervention undertaken by Bal Sakha Assam, a social organisation, among adolescent girls in Mohanbari tea estate has exposed deteriorating health conditions among plantation workers and their children.
Sixty per cent of adolescent girls were found underweight. Out of 79 per cent who were found anaemic, 50 per cent of the girls have severe and 29 per cent have mild anaemia. Moreover, 40 per cent have menstrual problems. Infant mortality and maternal mortality rates among tea garden working communities is also one of the highest in the country.
Dr Aditya Chatterjee, Bal Sakha official who organised the health programme among adolescent girls in Mohanbari tea estate with the help of medical experts from Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) and Lahoal PHC on Saturday, said that the girls lacked awareness about basic health.
“Food habits and lifestyle of this hardworking community is a major factor for detriorating health conditions among them,” he expressed.
Following interaction with the adolescent girls, it was also revealed that drinking was too much among the members of the working community in TEs, Chatterjee said. At first, weight and height of each girl were measured to calculate the Body Mass Index (BMI) of every adolescent girl. The blood group test and haemoglobin test were conducted by lab technicians of Lahoal PHC.
After the tests, one-to-one interaction and health check-up were carried out by Dr Sudhir Bagrodia, child specialists Dr Tulika Goswami Mahanta of community medicine, AMCH and Dr Mukesh Fogla, gynaecologist of Shristi Hospital. The management officials of Mohanbari tea estate and hospital staff of the tea garden and ASHA workers of the area also took part in the programme.
Bal Sakha is also planning to provide free treatment of eye problems to any adolescent girl through KK Saharia Eye Hospital, Dibrugarh. Dr Chatterjee said that a health card would be issued to individuals with eye problems to avail the free treatment. Dr Aditya asked the girls to build pressure on their mother to leave chewing of tobacco and chulai.
Dr Tulika demonstrated how to wash hands and told the gathering about how to check diarrhoea.
It needs to be mentioned here that the communication strategies of the health sector is hardly a success in tea gardens. Janani Suraksha Yojana, Mamata, Mamoni and other health projects of the State government have almost failed in its objective.
Health still a major concern in TEs
Staff correspondent
DIBRUGARH, Sept 4 – Despite several initiatives by the State government, health conditions in tea estates of Assam have continued to worry the Health department. Health intervention undertaken by Bal Sakha Assam, a social organisation, among adolescent girls in Mohanbari tea estate has exposed deteriorating health conditions among plantation workers and their children.
Sixty per cent of adolescent girls were found underweight. Out of 79 per cent who were found anaemic, 50 per cent of the girls have severe and 29 per cent have mild anaemia. Moreover, 40 per cent have menstrual problems. Infant mortality and maternal mortality rates among tea garden working communities is also one of the highest in the country.
Dr Aditya Chatterjee, Bal Sakha official who organised the health programme among adolescent girls in Mohanbari tea estate with the help of medical experts from Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) and Lahoal PHC on Saturday, said that the girls lacked awareness about basic health.
“Food habits and lifestyle of this hardworking community is a major factor for detriorating health conditions among them,” he expressed.
Following interaction with the adolescent girls, it was also revealed that drinking was too much among the members of the working community in TEs, Chatterjee said. At first, weight and height of each girl were measured to calculate the Body Mass Index (BMI) of every adolescent girl. The blood group test and haemoglobin test were conducted by lab technicians of Lahoal PHC.
After the tests, one-to-one interaction and health check-up were carried out by Dr Sudhir Bagrodia, child specialists Dr Tulika Goswami Mahanta of community medicine, AMCH and Dr Mukesh Fogla, gynaecologist of Shristi Hospital. The management officials of Mohanbari tea estate and hospital staff of the tea garden and ASHA workers of the area also took part in the programme.
Bal Sakha is also planning to provide free treatment of eye problems to any adolescent girl through KK Saharia Eye Hospital, Dibrugarh. Dr Chatterjee said that a health card would be issued to individuals with eye problems to avail the free treatment. Dr Aditya asked the girls to build pressure on their mother to leave chewing of tobacco and chulai.
Dr Tulika demonstrated how to wash hands and told the gathering about how to check diarrhoea.
It needs to be mentioned here that the communication strategies of the health sector is hardly a success in tea gardens. Janani Suraksha Yojana, Mamata, Mamoni and other health projects of the State government have almost failed in its objective.
Migration in Assam on the decline
The Assam Chief Minister spoke to Siddharth Varadarajan, Editor of The Hindu,
at his office in Dispur on Saturday about the revival of the ‘anti
foreigner issue’ in Assamese politics in the wake of the recent clashes
between Bodo and Muslim groups in Kokrajhar that turned lakhs of
villagers into refugees. Excerpts:
Six weeks after the first killings in Kokrajhar, tens of thousands of
displaced persons remain in relief camps but the fear of renewed
violence appears to have subsided. Instead, there is talk of a revival
of the so-called “anti-foreigner” agitation in the rest of Assam. As
Chief Minister, how do you assess the possibility of the revival of this
agitation. Is this something that worries you?
They are trying to. I do feel they are trying to do. But I have my
doubt. It is not easy to do. It is not easy to revive the sentiment …
But the recent bandh was quite successful.
Any bandh in Assam is successful! If anybody gives a bandh [call], it
will be 100 per cent successful. The success of a bandh is not a
yardstick of success or mass support… Anybody, a small group or even if a
community gives a bandh call where other communities are not involved,
there also they observe the bandh.
When you say “they,” who do you feel is behind the attempt to raise
the “foreigners” issue again? Is it mostly the Asom Gana Parishad? Or
the Bharatiya Janata Party?
The BJP is number one.... But we will also expose them. [We will ask]
what you did when you were in power? How many foreigners did you detect
and act against? Now just because elections are approaching in 2014,
they are making this an issue.
What is the Assam government’s own information on the number of
non-citizens living and working in the State? Have you done any internal
study about migration, say over the past five years? Has there been any
significant rise in the number of undocumented migrants from
Bangladesh?
I have all along been saying that migration is on the decline. Where
does migration take place? Where there is ample job opportunity, where
there is land that is available. Today, land availability is not there.
Earlier, why did they come? Today, [that is] why they do not come? Now
migration has been there since the British came. Migrations here started
during the development of the tea, coal, oil industries in Assam.
Biharis and other groups came. Then to construct railway line who came?
The workers were Biharis, in clerical jobs there were Bengalis. Then
again during British times, more Bengalis came in because there was a
push to grow more food.
Now population growth in Assam according to the 2001 Census was less
than the national average. Yes, the Muslim population has risen, there
is no doubt. Just as even in the tea garden areas, population has risen.
This is because of illiteracy. Even in the tribal communities.
Illiteracy is the number one cause of higher population growth rates.
Now, when the AGP was in power and they had a chance to prove they were
different. They could have registered cases [against foreigners living
here]. Why did they not do it? In the case of voters list A,B,C, D, so
many lists were made to exclude the foreigners.... The Election
Commission also tried. How much could they do?
I suppose so far it has proved difficult to disentangle citizens from migrants.
See the number of cases. Three lakh cases are pending. Not that they
have all been identified as foreigners… Many of the people they are
talking about, they are Assamese, they speak Assamese. And “migration”
has become a convenient issue for someone to raise for political ends.
When one of the Bodo leaders was arrested recently [after the Kokrajhar
violence], he admitted, ‘Why should I indulge in attacking the Muslims
when I myself have engaged them in my business.’ The same thing is true
elsewhere in Bodoland also. All development activities, construction,
you will find migrants.
Now, in Guwahati there has been migration. To construct your house, to
buy chicken, you are dealing with migrants. Now they are all foreigners
and they are engaging them! Those who are agitating on this issue,
whether AGP or BJP leaders, their pandals, their houses were also
constructed by them … In the peak [of the anti-foreigners agitation], I
myself saw the AGP building was constructed by them, those who they
allege are illegal migrants. We do not say [this]. The politics they are
doing is wrong. They say that Tarun Gogoi is giving protection. But
[the Muslims] have not voted me for last two elections…
How worried are you about the growth of the All India United
Democratic Front (AIUDF) of Badruddin Ajmal among Muslim voters in
Assam?
There is a wrong perception that Muslims always vote for the Congress.
They never voted more than 50 per cent. Out of 26 [‘Muslim dominated’
seats in an Assembly of 126], the maximum Hiteswar Saikia got was 15 …
Second highest I got that time they were with me in 2001. I won 13 of
the seats; the other 13 were individuals with the Samjwawadi Party,
independents, etc.
The AIUDF has brought all these individuals on one platform. In 1996, we
got 9, and 11 of those seats were won by the AGP. Where is the question
of Muslims all along being with the Congress? But [the Opposition] goes
on blaming the Congress. I am not worried. The same accusation [of
bias] is made against me by some Muslims.
Now just because I am Hindu does that mean I should play Hindu politics?
As far I am concerned, if Hindus are also accusing me of ‘vote bank
politics’ and Muslims are accusing of me playing the ‘Hindu card,’ this
means that I am balanced…
Some of your critics have said the requirement of proof of land
documentation for rehabilitation of the inmates of refugees from the
Kokrajhar violence is unfair.
It is the first stage. If he has land, he had a house, he had
properties, these make immediate rehabilitation easier. Now 2.40 lakh
people have already returned to their homes. Others are also
returning... But one problem the government is facing is you cannot
rehabilitate people back in forest areas... A good percentage of [the
victims of the violence] were living there.
Why did the Army take so long to deploy in Kokrajhar after the violence started and you asked for assistance?
It took very long, five days. All kinds of procedural problems were
there. The Defence Secretary told us he did not have the authority. So I
myself had to speak to the Defence Minister and then the Army came out.
But you feel the situation there is under control now?
Yes, now it is controlled.
We keep hearing there are a lot of arms there….
Arms are there … Arms are there with every insurgent group. Whether
ULFA, the… KLO [Kamtapur Liberation Organisation]. Even with the
ceasefire groups, there are anti-talk [factions]. … though we have
recovered 80 per cent, their strength is reduced by 80 per cent. [But]
they cannot cause damage, as much damage.
siddharth.varadarajan@thehindu.co.in
Tea garden manager shot at in Assam
Business Standard
Press Trust of India
Tinsukia, September 17, 2012
A tea garden manager was shot at and injured by two identified gunmen in Upper Assam's Tinsukia district today.
The two assailants came on a motor-cycle and shot at the manager of Saraswati Tea Estate as he was going to the garden at Talap, official sources said.
The manager, identified as Chabi Das Gupta, was injured in the left hand and was admitted to the Doomadooma Civil Hospital, the sources said.
Press Trust of India
Tinsukia, September 17, 2012
A tea garden manager was shot at and injured by two identified gunmen in Upper Assam's Tinsukia district today.
The two assailants came on a motor-cycle and shot at the manager of Saraswati Tea Estate as he was going to the garden at Talap, official sources said.
The manager, identified as Chabi Das Gupta, was injured in the left hand and was admitted to the Doomadooma Civil Hospital, the sources said.
Natural gas should be supplied as part of pollution measures
Supply natural gas to all tea factories in 'No Development Zone': APCB to Assam Gas
Drinking water schemes for tea workers to be subsidised
Jagran Post
26 September 2012
Kolkata: To secure better working conditions for plantation workers, the Tea Board has approved a proposal to provide subsidies for drinking water schemes and rainwater harvesting projects.
At its 220th board meeting held on Tuesday, the Board, which functions under the Union Ministry of Commerce, granted 40 per cent subsidy on capital investment for piped and metered drinking water schemes and 70 per cent subsidy for rainwater harvesting projects and storage tanks.
A pilot project for supply of filtered drinking water to individual households of tea garden workers in Sonitpur district of Assam has also been approved, a communique from the statutory body said.
In order to encourage overseas buyers to use registered marks for teas of Indian origin and also to popularise these logos among consumers abroad, the board has decided to waive off a part of user fees for India Tea, Darjeeling, Assam, Nilgiri and other such logos.
Tea Board chairman M G V K Bhanu said, "All companies using our logos should be made to conform to strict quality standards. We are working towards ensuring strict compliance of these logos so that buyers overseas can distinguish our logos as the hallmark of quality Indian tea".
The board also approved proposals to provide better academic opportunities to the children of tea garden workers in the form of educational stipends, book grants, coaching and hostel fees for entry at IIT/IIM/Civil Services, provision of bicycles for girl students attending higher secondary schools, the communique added.
(Agencies)
26 September 2012
Kolkata: To secure better working conditions for plantation workers, the Tea Board has approved a proposal to provide subsidies for drinking water schemes and rainwater harvesting projects.
At its 220th board meeting held on Tuesday, the Board, which functions under the Union Ministry of Commerce, granted 40 per cent subsidy on capital investment for piped and metered drinking water schemes and 70 per cent subsidy for rainwater harvesting projects and storage tanks.
A pilot project for supply of filtered drinking water to individual households of tea garden workers in Sonitpur district of Assam has also been approved, a communique from the statutory body said.
In order to encourage overseas buyers to use registered marks for teas of Indian origin and also to popularise these logos among consumers abroad, the board has decided to waive off a part of user fees for India Tea, Darjeeling, Assam, Nilgiri and other such logos.
Tea Board chairman M G V K Bhanu said, "All companies using our logos should be made to conform to strict quality standards. We are working towards ensuring strict compliance of these logos so that buyers overseas can distinguish our logos as the hallmark of quality Indian tea".
The board also approved proposals to provide better academic opportunities to the children of tea garden workers in the form of educational stipends, book grants, coaching and hostel fees for entry at IIT/IIM/Civil Services, provision of bicycles for girl students attending higher secondary schools, the communique added.
(Agencies)
Extortion in Assam
Extortionist Assam, Naga ultras target tea growers
Sunday, 30 September 2012 19:30
Anup Sharma| Guwahati
While small tea growers in Upper Assam in particular have been receiving extortion letters as well as calls frequently, the anti-talk factions of the Ulfa and NSCN(IM) are targeting politicians also. The September 23 bomb blast in tea and oil-rich Sivsagar district is being seen as an attempt to threaten the tea growers to fall in line.
The increase in number of extortion threats has led the All Assam Small Tea Growers’ Association (AASTGA) to demand the State Government for protection.
“On September 13 and 14, one of our members received an extortion demand in the name of anti-talk faction of the Ulfa,” said an office-bearer of the AASTGA on condition of anonymity.
“Another member of our organisation from Golaghat district received an extortion letter demanding Rs 10 lakh from a Nagaland-based militant outfit. The small tea growers of Golaghat have already been suffering due to inter-State boundary problems between Assam and Nagaland - Naga miscreants often enter into the tea gardens located close to border and destroy the tea plantation saying that the area belongs to them. The problem of extortion will dishearten the youth further who had taken up tea cultivation as their profession,” said the AASTGA member.
AASTGA has also said that even the tea estate owners in Tinsukia district often get extortion threats from the Nagaland-based NSCN(IM).
Indigenous planters have ushered in a new revolution by engaging in tea growing sector. Small tea growers in Assam are providing employment to over 15 lakh people. The State accounts for 13 per cent of the world’s total tea production and around 800 tea gardens in Assam produce 51 per cent of India’s annual tea production.
Last year, the State had produced 508.74 million kg of tea and approximately 30 per cent of that was from the 70,000 small tea growers (having only 10 to 12 hectares of land). The sector is very important for a State like Assam, where unemployment is a big problem.
Confirming the developments, Assam’s IGP (law and order) LR Bishnoi said, “We have received information by the small tea growers in some Upper Assam districts about extortion demands. Security has been provided to the particular growers depending on the requirement and our police force is working on how to stop these extortions by the outfits.”
The police have also succeeded in preventing extortion in some areas by arresting the culprits, he told The Pioneer.
But the tea growers are not alone in bearing the brunt. Even the ruling party’s legislators are being targeted. Recently, Debabrata Saikia, a Congress legislator and son of former Assam Chief Minister Hiteswar Saikia, was served with a demand note of Rs 30 lakh.
Although during the initial years, the Ulfa was relatively peaceful and maintained a Robinhood image - punishing drug peddlers and corrupt officials - the outfit stepped up its violence and extortion after the 1983 Assembly polls in Assam. In May 1985, it looted a bank in Guwahati, killing its manager. Similarly in 1986, the outfit looted another bank at Namrup in Dibrugarh district. The outfit also carried out its first political murder, gunning down lawyer Kalipada Sen, one of the founders of the United Minorities Front of Assam (UMFA) in 1986.
Tea shortage and price increases
Tea prices set to rise on supply woes
Kolkata, Oct 9:
If the present situation is any indication, the outlook for tea globally does not appear to be terribly exciting.
The shortfall
in production in Kenya, Sri Lanka and India at present exceed 43 m kgs
compared to the previous year, according to J Thomas & Company
Private Ltd, the world’s largest tea auctioneers.
The
adverse weather conditions across the globe have affected the supply of
tea in the world market. With the exception of China, which is the
largest producer of green tea and growing crop exponentially, extreme
and erratic weather has affected production in Asia and Africa.
Green leaf crop
Climatic
conditions and pest attacks, particularly in North India, have ensured a
deficit of 15.4 m kgs till end July, and 21 m kgs all India. While
August crop in India is likely to show a small surplus, September
harvest in North India is expected to be well below that of last year.
The deficit in crop, therefore, is expected to get even wider by end
October. Current green leaf prices are on their way up which would
signal the hardening of prices at the bottom of the market, as well as a
shortage of green leaf availability.
Liquoring
Assams continue to hold levels in spite of normal arrivals in auction
centres at present. With increased purchasing power and discerning
tastes, the consumer is willing and able to pay significant premiums for
good quality. Medium Assams and Dooars are, at present, irregularly
easing in value, but overall averages continue to be well above last
year. Demand for these categories is also expected to increase as the
supply line gets squeezed.
The supply of quality
Assam teas for the rest of the year will be limited as the production
season gradually draws to a close. In North India, factories close down
by end of December as the cold weather inhibits leaf growth, and resume
operations only towards end March.
Low stocks
Most
upcountry markets are low on stock and the usual winter stock buying
will commence shortly. With domestic consumption growing at over 2.5 per
cent annually, an additional 20 m kgs of tea would be required, further
accentuating the supply shortfall.
Crop shortages
traditionally impact year end prices the most. Already the year to date
North India auction average is up by Rs 25 over the previous season.
Continuing shortfall in production, increased demand and low stocks at
buyer’s destinations all indicate that tea prices are clearly poised for
a further strengthening. In spite of this, tea prices, per se, continue
to remain below the commodity and inflation index.
Drop
in production and increased costs have negated price increases for
producers. Recent wage revisions and sharp hikes in input costs like
fertiliser and fuel have added to the burden of the planter, which even
the buoyant prices, have not managed to mitigate.
Pollution measures to help Kaziranga National Park
Tea factories in 'No Development Zones' to go green in Assam
Supratim Dey / Kolkata/ Guwahati Oct 09, 2012, 00:21 IST
Business Standard
All tea factories in Assam which are situated within ‘No Development Zones’ (NDZ) as well as in the range of 500 metres from the coordinates of NDZs will soon have to go green or else will face closures. The Pollution Control Board of Assam (PCBA) has asked these factories to use natural gas as fuel instead of burning fossil fuels. Consequently, the PCBA has directed the Assam Gas Company Limited (AGCL) to arrange supply of natural gas to these tea factories on priority basis within November 6.
This directive of PCBA is in compliance with the judgement of National Green Tribunal, dated September 7, 2012, which asked the former to ensure that no tea processing unit burn fossil fuel to run factories within NDZ and take immediate steps to stop their operations. The judgment was aimed at protecting the ecology in Kaziranga National Park and in its vicinity, which is highly eco-sensitive.
There are at least 22 tea processing units, in addition to 64 other factories, which have been affected by the judgment of the National Green Tribunal. To switch to natural gas as fuel, the tea factories will be required to make investment of Rs. 15 to 30 lakh, depending of the size and capacity of the factory.
“We are very much worried because it encompasses 22 tea factories manufacturing 22 million kgs of tea annually involving the fate of more than 40,000 workers and more than 3,000 small tea growers are dependent on these tea factories by way of supplying green leaf”, said Bidyananda Barkakoty, chairman of North Eastern Tea Association (NETA).
"The tea factories use coal normally in their boilers. The sulphur content of such coal is very high and the air pollution therefrom could pose a great threat to environment,” observed the Tribunal.
The focal point of the judgement a notification dated way back in 1996 of the Union ministry of environment and forests declaring an area of 15 km around Numaligarh Refinery as a “No Development Zone”. This notification has been in disuse since inception and instead a number of industrial undertakings, infrastructural facilities, townships etc. have all along come up in the area with the express approval of the concerned authorities of both the central and state governments.
However, the tea industry as welcomed the directive of PCBA and urged AGCL to take immediate steps to supply natural gas to these factories.
“We earnestly request the AGCL and the state government to take immediate steps so that the concerned tea factories are supplied with natural gas within the stipulated time”, said Rajib Barooah, chairman of Assam Tea Planters’ Association (ATPA).
Business Standard
All tea factories in Assam which are situated within ‘No Development Zones’ (NDZ) as well as in the range of 500 metres from the coordinates of NDZs will soon have to go green or else will face closures. The Pollution Control Board of Assam (PCBA) has asked these factories to use natural gas as fuel instead of burning fossil fuels. Consequently, the PCBA has directed the Assam Gas Company Limited (AGCL) to arrange supply of natural gas to these tea factories on priority basis within November 6.
This directive of PCBA is in compliance with the judgement of National Green Tribunal, dated September 7, 2012, which asked the former to ensure that no tea processing unit burn fossil fuel to run factories within NDZ and take immediate steps to stop their operations. The judgment was aimed at protecting the ecology in Kaziranga National Park and in its vicinity, which is highly eco-sensitive.
There are at least 22 tea processing units, in addition to 64 other factories, which have been affected by the judgment of the National Green Tribunal. To switch to natural gas as fuel, the tea factories will be required to make investment of Rs. 15 to 30 lakh, depending of the size and capacity of the factory.
“We are very much worried because it encompasses 22 tea factories manufacturing 22 million kgs of tea annually involving the fate of more than 40,000 workers and more than 3,000 small tea growers are dependent on these tea factories by way of supplying green leaf”, said Bidyananda Barkakoty, chairman of North Eastern Tea Association (NETA).
"The tea factories use coal normally in their boilers. The sulphur content of such coal is very high and the air pollution therefrom could pose a great threat to environment,” observed the Tribunal.
The focal point of the judgement a notification dated way back in 1996 of the Union ministry of environment and forests declaring an area of 15 km around Numaligarh Refinery as a “No Development Zone”. This notification has been in disuse since inception and instead a number of industrial undertakings, infrastructural facilities, townships etc. have all along come up in the area with the express approval of the concerned authorities of both the central and state governments.
However, the tea industry as welcomed the directive of PCBA and urged AGCL to take immediate steps to supply natural gas to these factories.
“We earnestly request the AGCL and the state government to take immediate steps so that the concerned tea factories are supplied with natural gas within the stipulated time”, said Rajib Barooah, chairman of Assam Tea Planters’ Association (ATPA).
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