COIMBATORE: The Tamil Nadu Tea Plantation Corporation (TANTEA) plans to close its processing unit at Valparai and shift employees to Nilgiris. As part of the plan, TANTEA has offered Voluntary Retirement from Service (VRS) to employees who are above the age of 50 years. After completing the VRS process, the corporation will shift other remaining employees to Nilgiris district.
According to sources, a total of 513 employees are working in the Valparai unit currently, down from the 2,000 a decade ago. Due to financial loss and increasing wild animal intrusion in Valparai, TANTEA management came up with the idea to close the Valparai unit and sent the proposal to the State government. Sources said the government has approved the plan following which, the corporation has initiated the VRS process.
Speaking to TNIE, N Jayaraj, General Manager of TANTEA, said, “As part of shifting workers to other divisions, the government issued a GO in the first week of October provisioning VRS option to senior workers at Valparai. About half of the total workers in Valparai are above the age of 50.
Before providing them VRS, we have to make arrangements including residential facility and monetary benefits. After executing the VRS, remaining employees will be shifted to other divisions especially Nilgiris.” Official sources said the unit in Vaplarai will function till all employees are shifted to Nilgiris.