ULFA-I asks tea company to shift offices to Assam, employ locals

GUWAHATI, April 8: Militant outfit ULFA-I (United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent) has threatened “to prevent Amalgamated Plantations Pvt Ltd (formerly Tata Tea Limited) of doing business in Assam,” if the tea company refrained from taking immediate steps to relocate all its administrative offices to Assam and recruit indigenous people.

“No one connected with your company would be allowed to travel around in Assam in your business interest. Finally, we won’t shy away from ruining your company by forcing closure of your tea garden(s) either,” the notice to APPL by the proscribed outfit’s publicity department stated.

The notice was given to the tea company through an e-mailed statement sent to various media houses on Thursday.

“We appreciate that you are in the business of making profit and to that end you must devise your corporate planning. However, you have heavy responsibilities to the land and her people…” the notice to APPL stated.

“It is unfortunate that you have not taken your responsibilities with the importance it deserves…” it added.

APPL, which claims to be the second largest tea producer in the country, having tea gardens in Assam and Bengal, has its head office in Kolkata while its corporate office is in Guwahati.

“We are aware you are recruiting your workers from outside Assam instead of employing local youth. This is contrary to the spirit of ‘win-win relationship’,” the notice to the tea company said.