Floods drive Assam tea growers to tears

The unprecedented floods in Barak Valley in the south of Assam this year have impacted the valley's tea industry.

The tea industry of Barak Valley, reeling under a recession since 1999, was showing signs of recovery till August this year by posting an increase in production of tea by 1 million kg over last year. The tea industry in the Assam-Brahmaputra Valley was already down 3 million kg.

Till August, the Assam tea industry posted a decline of 2 million kg from 220.5 million kg of last year's to 218 million kg this year. In the Barak Valley, tea production had increased from 20 million kg last year to 21 million kg this year.

The unprecedented floods will now lead to a loss in crop size. There was no rail communication between the Barak Valley and other parts of the state since June this year following collapse of a bridge in North Cachar Hills.

The road link was snapped on July 27 when a 300 metre stretch of National Highway was damaged at Sonapur near Jowai in Meghalaya, cutting off Barak Valley, Tripura and Mizoram completely from the rest of the country. 

After repairs, the National Highway opened a week later, but fresh floods in Barak valley since the first week of September brought life to a standstill.

Many arterial, as well as interior, roads were damaged or washed away by floodwaters, cutting off many parts of the valley. Floodwaters submerged some gardens and marooned many other tea gardens in the Bark Valley. At least seven tea gardens had to shut down operations a fortnight ago as it became difficult for them to bring in fuel, coal and other essentials to keep factories going. 

Food scarcity threatened garden labourers. Plucking of leaves had to be stopped in many gardens as bushes were submerged or damaged by floodwaters.

Dispatch of tea already out of factories was halted after road and rail links snapped.

Though floodwaters receded in some parts of the valley and the road link was restored partially, Karimganj district was still completely cut off from rest of the country. The four tea gardens of Rukni, Monierkhal, Bhubandhar and West Jallinga had to be closed.

Food and other essentials were now being supplied in limited quantity through partially open arterial roads to other parts of the valley, but tea dispatches were yet to start as the movement of heavy vehicles was still banned on many roads.

Though the cost of the damage caused to tea industry of Barak Valley by floods was yet to be ascertained, Dipanjol Deka, secretary of Tea Association of India, termed it as a 'disaster of unprecedented magnitude.'

Deka added, "Only after the flood waters recede we will be able to give the exact figures of damage." The tea industry was busy in rescue operations now.

The industry accused the government of doing nothing, leaving it to fight the battle alone.

According to Deka, the tea industry in Barak Valley will take years to recover.