Guwahati: The Tea Association of India (TAI) has called for the setting up of a coal depot in Barak Valley.

Addressing the annual general meeting of the Barak Valley Branch of TAI recently, its chairman S K
Taparia said that since the last tea season Barak Valley tea industry is facing a shortage of coal for a stoppage of supply by the local vendors.

" In Barak Valley, almost all the process requires the consumption of energy. The requirement of energy in the tea industry is high with 21% requirement as electrical energy and the remaining 79% supplied by coal" he said.

He said the survival of the Tea Industry of Barak Valley with its huge workforce depends on the availability of coal locally at a reasonable price. "Tea Industry being the backbone of the economy of this Valley, we urge upon the Govt. to set up Coal Depot at Barak Valley, so that in all weather tea industry can procure coal at a reasonable price," he said.

Taparia suggested that the services of Assam Industrial Development Corporation and District Industries Centre may be utilized to set up the proposed Coal Depot.

"Fertilizer has become scarce in supply and costly and we request the authorities to help the industry, keeping regular supply of urea and others at subsidies rate for smooth and continuous agricultural activities of tea gardens of the Valley" Taparia said.

On the foodgrains issue, he said with the introduction of the National Food Security Act, the government has discontinued the APL allocation of rice and wheat to the industry with effect from December 2015. "Since the APL quota was discontinued, we are providing rations sourced from the open market to maintain the age-old plantation tradition, which is a point of concern and cause of the increase in the cost of production," he said.

The association requests the government restorative of the erstwhile system of allotment to and distribution through garden management so that the cost level reduces and parity is achieved with the existing system of food grains provision for tea workers and dependents in the neighboring state of West Bengal.
On the power supply, he said erratic power supply and frequent tripping of electric supply have made the industry more and more dependent on captive power generation for running tea factories in the Barak Valley area, resulting uneconomical increase in the cost of production.
The association urges upon the Assam government and APDCL authority to connect all the tea factories of the Valley with dedicated feeder line and also request to setup 33KVA power sub-stations in and around tea gardens so that the tea industry is a major contributor to the exchequer of APDCL from this region may avail the quality uninterrupted power for the production of tea at a reasonable price.
He said tea gardens of Barak Valley regularly suffer either due to severe drought or excessive rainfall resulting in soil erosion, and inundation of tea bushes, which directly affect land fertility and plant health.