Assam: Tea planters oppose government plan to allot labour line land to workers

Guwahati: Tea garden management in Assam is expressing concerns over the government’s plan to acquire and allot labour line land to workers, arguing that the move could negatively impact the long-term sustainability of the tea sector.

Tea planters are reportedly exploring legal options, noting that the acquisition and redistribution of such land may not be legally enforceable.

Meanwhile, district administrations have begun implementing plans to acquire labour line plots, prompting the Consultative Committee of Planters' Associations (CCPA), an umbrella body representing tea planters, to raise objections with the Chief Secretary.

The CCPA requested that any land acquisition include proper compensation in line with the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

In their letter, the CCPA highlighted the Central government’s recent implementation of the Labour Codes from November 21, 2025, including the Occupational Safety, Health & Working Conditions (OSH&WC) Code, 2020.

They stated that under Section 92 of the Code, welfare benefits can be extended to residents of the tea garden.

Consequently, they argued that following the change in land status, garden management should be relieved of responsibility for providing welfare facilities in areas acquired for the distribution of workers.

The planters also urged the early finalisation of the State Rules under the OSH&WC Code, to clearly define welfare responsibilities and exempt management from obligations related to housing, water supply, sanitation, and other facilities in the acquired areas.

They noted that many tea garden lands are mortgaged with banks, and any changes affecting mortgaged land require bank approval.

Planters warned that distributing patta would grant heritable and transferable land rights, potentially undermining the integrity of tea estates as unified entities.

Even if rights are only heritable, there is no assurance that the worker’s heirs will continue working on the estate.

Limited land could also hinder management from meeting statutory obligations to provide housing for new workers.

A planters association representative added that after land is allotted to workers, it could become challenging to ensure their participation in garden work and may lead to law-and-order issues.

Under the legislation passed in the recent assembly session, the State government plans to acquire and allot 2,18,553 bighas of land across 825 tea estates, benefiting approximately 3,33,486 tea worker families.