Hundreds of “JCBs” operating at Dolu; Labourers bow down at the feet of Police personnel to save tea plantation

As reported earlier by Barak Bulletin, hundreds of excavators approached the Lalbag Tea Estate in Dolu to remove the plantation. With the sunrise, the JCBs, hundreds of them, started removing the plantation. A heavy deployment of security personnel has cordoned the area making it impossible for the tea garden workers to enter the site earmarked for the Greenfield airport.

Hundreds of tea garden workers drenched in the downpour started pleading to the security personnel. Some of them even bowed down to the feet of the Police officials, “Kill us first and then ruin our plantation,” they cried. But the JCBs continued to remove the plantation.

At this stage, the tea garden workers are surrounded all around the Lalbag tea estate. They are being controlled by Police officials equipped with riot controlling gears.

Cachar SP Ramandeep Kaur herself went to the spot to lead the process. Speaking with media, she said, “The process of acquiring the land for the Greenfield airport has started. It is being done as per the memorandum signed by all the parties. My request to the public is to get their grievances addressed though proper channel instead of creating a law and order situation.”

It is clear that the security personnel have marginalised the tea garden workers for the time being, however, the situation remains tensed as the labourers remain completely against the process. Also, what becomes clear is that the local political leadership has completely failed in winning the trust of the tea garden workers who have been protesting against the deforestation for such a long period of time.