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Company Response

20 Sep 2023

Luxmi Tea Company's response to alleged labour rights abuses at its Lepetkatta estate

... Please find below the facts & details, which shall put things in the right perspective and for what it actually is.

  1. Land of Lepetkatta Tea Garden was earlier allocated for National Highway Road widening and for ‘Brahmaputra Cracker & Polymer Ltd’ ( BCPL) factory as per development initiatives by the Central & State Governments. Land was bequeathed to the Govt projects, but there was no retrenchment of workers due to the said government development projects. On the contrary, it generated huge employment opportunities for the educated youth of the region boosting ancillary businesses in close vicinity.
  2. Regarding the issue of workers protest against orders to uproot tea bushes for construction of an “industrial estate”, is incorrect information. The said tea-plants on this land were ageing, the growth was slow & unproductive for which 37ha was uprooted as a part of garden general practice.Some area from here will shall go for replanting after adequate rehabilitation of the soil With the recent Govt of Assam initiatives to develop Eco Tourism, portions of the said land along with adjoining vacant land is being considered partly for Eco-Tourism project. No retrenchment of workforce shall take place as they are productively employed in the rest of the tea estate operations. In fact the proposed development of Eco-tourism project shall generate far higher employment opportunities for the local populace besides encouraging many entrepreneur business growth in the region.

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Full response included below.

Part of the following timelines

India: Workers fear mass job losses as they are made to uproot tea bushes, incl. co responses

Tea brands and retailers respond to allegations of rights abuses in the global supply chain