By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The small tea growers under the banner of “West Garo Hills Tea Farmers Federation”, “Ribhoi Tea Growers Association” and “Mawlyngot Tea Growers Society” have come together to form the State Level Small Tea Growers Forum under the name and style of “Meghalaya Small Tea Growers’ Federation” (MSTGF) at a joint meeting held recently. The meeting was held with an intention to have a platform for dealing with all matters relating to the small tea growers of the state.
The meeting in its deliberations also expressed resentment over the proposed shifting of the NE Zonal Office of Tea Board of India from Guwahati to Jorhat as well as the proposed establishment of the Directorate of Indian Small Tea Growers at Dibrugarh on the plea of proximity to AAU and Tocklai Research Station at Jorhat and to the large number of small tea growers at Upper Assam. “This has been viewed to be Upper Assam Centric at the cost of neglecting the upcoming non traditional areas like Meghalaya and other neighboring states,” said the Secretary, MSTGF.
It may be pointed out that Guwahati being the gateway to North East India, should have been the best location for such public offices for outreach by the small tea growers at large.
