Tea Tourism and Undecided government

The state government's ambitious plan to introduce tourism in the tea industry as an alternative source of employment in the remote areas has gone for a toss.

Potential investors who had earlier expressed interest in the project have backed off and the plan cannot be executed unless the land laws are amended.

Although Chief Minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee makes it a point to highlight 'Tea Tourism' in North Bengal as 'the possibility sans limits' at every public function, reality in the shape of the state tourism minister Mr Dinesh Dakua spoke otherwise here today.

According to the tourism minister, the land department had leased land to the tea industry to set up plantations, not for any other use.

"Therefore, investors would have to pay salami and lease value as fixed by the land department since the land use pattern would change if tourism is taken up in plantations," Mr Dakua said here today.

"The investors are unwilling to pay such sums and so, only an amendment in the land rules could make tea tourism a reality," the minister said. He also added that the idea to set up wayside facilities at strategic locations to club tea with tourism has also been scrapped.

However, there is still a ray of hope, but that and when it comes would strictly be a government venture.

The Centre has set aside a purse to pursue the tea tourism concept. "The state tourism department has earmarked two plantations close to Siliguri for the purpose. The tourism department would acquire land from these two plantations and following an inspection by Central officials, the state government would initiate the process with the Central aid," he said.

The minister, however, could not readily remember the names of the two shorlisted tea plantations.

Souce> The Statesman