HT Correspondent
DIBRUGARH, May 25: The All-Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA) on Tuesday staged a human chain protest at Tingrai in Dibrugarh over the government decision to acquire 2,500 bighas of land of Doloo tea estate in Cachar district for the construction of Greenfield airport.
The protest programme was organised by the Tingrai branch ATTSA. The protesters holding banners and posters participated in the protest.
“The land acquisition process has created chaos and confusion among the poor tea garden workers, who are associated with the tea garden. The future of 3000 workers is bleak,” said a leader of ATTSA.
He said, “Why are the leaders of BJP who represent the tea tribe community silent after the injustice on the tea tribe community? The workers who are associated with the tea garden will become jobless.”
After the government started uprooting the tea bushes in Doloo tea estate, people were seen protesting against the government’s inaction.
“Already lakhs of tea bushes have been uprooted with bulldozers to clear the tea garden for constructing the Greenfield airport. We are not against development but the tea industry has been the backbone of Assam’s economy. Through its act, the government has destroyed the livelihood of thousands of tea workers. We strongly oppose it and urge the government to stop anti-workers stand,” said another ATTSA leader.
