Floods Affect Tea Gardens In Jalpaiguri

Kolkata: The Indian Tea Association (ITA) has received reports that many tea gardens in Jalpaiguri district in northern part of West Bengal have been badly affected by the recent floods. In many cases, the flood waters have damaged standing tea bushes, factories and labour lines. The devastation cause by the floods, is wide and varied such as diversion of the Leesh river with river waters flowing over the railway track adjacent to National Highway 31, damage to approach bridge on Chupalang river, the lifeline of Carron tea estate, flooding of Jiti and Jaldhaka rivers eroding tea bearing lands, and the Panna and Basra rivers being in spate has not only cut off the Central Dooars tea estate, but also affected Chuapara tea estate. Tea movement too has been badly affected, causing accumulation of made tea stocks, which, it is feared, might lead to cash flow problems in the tea industry.