Assam Tea Tribe Students' Association (ATTSA) opposes OIL bid to acquire Balijan tea estate land

A CORRESPONDENT

DIBRUGARH: The Assam Tea Tribe Students' Association (ATTSA) has strongly opposed Oil India Ltd's bid to procure garden land of Balijan tea estate for setting up of oil fields.

On Thursday, ATTSA staged a protest at Balijan tea estate against Oil India's bid to procure over 19 bighas garden land for setting up of oil fields.

Talking to The Sentinel, Dibrugarh district ATTSA organizing secretary, Ramen Kanda said, "Oil India Ltd has been trying to procure over 19 bighas garden land of Balijan tea estate for setting up of oil fields. We are against the land acquisition process because our tea workers livelihood has been dependent in tea garden."

He said, "Earlier, in 2012, OIL had acquired 26 bighas of Balijan tea estate for setting up of oil field. Oil India has assured us many things but didn't fulfill our demands. Now, again OIL has been trying to acquire garden land for the same purpose. We strongly protest the land grabbing process of Oil India Ltd."

Meanwhile, a memorandum was submitted to Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner Biswajit Pegu on May 11 by ATTSA. "We have talked with the garden management about this matter and they told us that the garden has been facing problems to run the garden smoothly. So, they have decided to sell some part of the garden land to OIL," Kanda said.

Kanda further added, "If the garden land will be sold to OIL, then the workers who are associated with the tea garden will face problems in running their families. Over 2,000 workers are associated with the garden."

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