MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday, while hearing a batch of petitions on the Manjolai tea estate issue, directed TANTEA to file a report on whether it can take over the operations of the estate.
After the state forest department opposed the proposal to hand over the tea estate to TANTEA, a bench of Justices R Suresh Kumar and G Arul Murugan directed the state government to file a comprehensive report on welfare measures for rehabilitating the tea workers and other issues after deliberating with TANTEA and the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Limited (BBTCL).
The high court also said the government, as a special case, can enhance the subsidy amount given to workers for building houses under the Kalaignar Kanavu Illam scheme so that they could build their houses or apartments entirely for free.
HC points out report: Leasing forest area to TANTEA to run tea estate not feasible
A bench of Justices R Suresh Kumar and G Arul Murugan, also directed TANTEA to file a report if it can take over the operations of the estate. The bench pointed to the report filed by the deputy director of Project Tiger (Ambasamudram), which said that leasing out forest area to TANTEA for running the estate is not feasible and if any rehabilitation is afforded to workers, it shall be made outside the region.
The counsel for BBTCL submitted that the total sum of Rs 11.32 crore — the remaining 75% of the VRS settlement amount — had been deposited on July 18 in the account of the assistant commissioner of labour (plantations) in Nagercoil. The workers had already withdrawn 25% of the amount. The entire VRS amount has now been paid or made ready for workers. BBTCL may hold negotiations with government, the counsel said.