Duncan group reiterates plan to reopen tea gardens after talk with govt officials

Duncan industries reiterated that they were looking to reopen their tea gardens “one by one”, continuing with the Dhumchipara tea garden next week, after the company’s non-executive chairman G P Goenka met the state chief secretary on Thursday. “I went to Nabanna (state Secretariat) and met some officials. There was no specific agenda for the meeting. I discuss the situation about where we stand, what is happening and what is not happening.

“We will make all seven tea gardens operational one by one. Birpara is already operational, and Dhumchipara will be operational next week,” he said after the meeting. On January 28, the Union Commerce and Industry Ministry had issued notification under section 16E of the Tea Act to take over the management or control of seven tea estates – Birpara, Garganda, Lankapara, Tulsipara, and Huntapara, Dhumchipara – owned by Duncans Industries Ltd. and Demdima tea estate operated by Duncans-controlled Santipara Tea Co Ltd. Duncan Industries had challenged the notification in court, and got back control of the gardens following a Calcutta High Court order in September this year.