Tea garden body writes to Centre, objects to ESZ expansion in north bengal
Times of India | 6 November 2024
12 Kolkata: On behalf of Tea Garden Associations of North Bengal, the Darjeeling Tea Association wrote to the Union environment and forest ministry on Wednesday, objecting to the recent notification that expanded the eco-sensitive Zone (ESZ) surrounding the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary up to 18.1 km.
The letter, written by principal adviser of DTA Sandeep Mukherjee, noted that the expansion increased the ESZ from 405.3 to 539.8 sq km, significantly impacting tea gardens and the livelihoods of thousands of individuals associated with these estates. The expansion raised serious concerns, especially when seen in light of existing state policies that promoted eco-friendly tea tourism and sustainable economic development, the letter stated.
In 2019, state govt introduced the Tea Tourism and Allied Business Policy to promote sustainable development within the tea sector. It allows tea gardens to use up to 15% of their land for eco-friendly activities, such as tourism and renewable energy, aimed at enhancing income, creating employment and fostering eco-tourism while protecting tea plantation areas.
"The expanded ESZ regulations impose sweeping restrictions that conflict with state-level initiatives. The blanket prohibitions within the ESZ have effectively rendered the tea tourism policy unimplementable in the affected areas," the DTA letter said. It also stated that there was lack of rationality and consistency in ESZ boundary demarcation as well. "This inconsistency has led to unfair impacts on local stakeholders, especially the tea gardens, which face new and unpredictable operational challenges," it added. The letter also pointed out the selective exclusion of high-value land from the ESZ while including tea gardens.