Assam: ‘Friends of Dolo’ launches campaign against Cachar Greenfield Airport

Guwahati: Assam: ‘Friends of Dolo’ launches campaign against Cachar Greenfield Airport ,A standoff continues in Doloo T Estate in Assam’s Cachar district, with a notorious group called “Friends of Doloo” launching a Twitter campaign to protect workers’ rights and tea gardens, where an eviction drive has been launched. The Assam government has decided to set up a greenfield airport.

The Twitter campaign was launched to raise voice against the demolition of 3 million tea plants and thousands of Dolo T Estate sheds for the construction of Greenfield Airport in Silchar , Cachar District.
In his appeal to the people, Friend of Doloo writes: “On June 5, World Environment Day, we call on all environmentally conscious people to unite against this catastrophe in the name of development. We take to the streets with our posters and tell them we are not in favor of this catastrophe.
On the other hand, the leaders of Doloo Cha Bagh Bachao Samanway Samitee failed to protest in front of the office of Kachhar Deputy Commissioner on Sunday due to heavy presence of police and paramilitary forces.

The organization will hold a massive protest on June 15 in Selcher, with more than 2,000 tea party leaders and leaders of political and non-political organizations taking part.
Dolo Tea State is the largest tea state in South Assam and produces 2.4 million kg of black CTC tea. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has made the Tea Garden Road a four-lane national highway.

“Dolo is a large tea garden in Cachar district. Out of the four divisions of the tea estate, Mayanagarh and Lal Bagh divisions are spread over an area of ​​2500 bighas. There are 3 million producing tea bushes and thousands of shade trees. About 2,500 tea workers work in these two divisions to earn a living, ”the appeal said.
On March 7, between the two trade unions of Dolo T Company Limited and Dolo T Estate, CITU, BMS and INTUC, in the presence of District Magistrate and Assistant Labor Commissioner of Cachar , to hand over 2500 bighas of land. An agreement was signed for Government to build Greenfield Airport

It is alleged that the Labor Party did not discuss the matter with the affected workers before signing the agreement. Done, even though he has a lot of land.
As soon as the agreement was announced, the workers started protesting. The movement was started under the leadership of Assam Majuri Sharmak Union.

“Under pressure, the administration held a public hearing on April 29 and May 2, at the request of the workers, during which the workers raised their objections. A total of 2,328 workers signed their objections and submitted them to the district administration.” ‘ he said.
“While the agitation was going on, the district administration suddenly issued an eviction notice on May 11 and closed the entire Dolo area by enforcing section 144 of the CRPC,” he added.
On May 12, a horrific incident of bulldozer uprooting of trees started. The workers ignored section 144 and ran for the last time to save their plant.

He pleaded with the police and the administration not to bulldoze the gardens, saying that these tea bushes had existed since the time of his ancestors.

But the administration did not listen to their pleas and forcibly destroyed the garden.
The protest continued throughout the day. The government also did not bring into the public domain the EIA and SIA audit reports that were required before destroying 3 million tea bushes. There are also no reports that the central government has given any approval for the construction of Greenfield Airport on the ground.

In such a situation, the state government announced that it would compensate the workers. But no jobs were guaranteed.