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Assam is the
largest producer
of tea in India.
The tea industry has
become the largest
industry, generating
livelihood, revenue and
employment in the
state.
One of the most crucial components of the tea estates in
Assam are the people of the Tea Tribe. Historically, these
are the tea garden workers who were not local people from
Assam, but were brought in from nearby states like
Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Andhra
Pradesh and Bihar. Over the years, with the amalgamation
of culture and tradition among them, the tea workers form
a distinct community called the “Tea Tribe” representing
around 22% of the total population of the state. i.e.
amounting to nearly 70 lakh in number.
The Tea Tribe is one of the most vital resources of every
tea estate in improve the standard of life of this
community it is pertinent to improve the community
character of the Tea Tribe.
An intervention to this effect must include education
along with good health practices and community
awareness building.There has to be a baseline assessment
of the situation on specific parameters including physical
and mental health of the children and factors affecting
them. Efforts to make the community recognize the
shortcomings and find ways to overcome them are very
necessary.
The process of implementation of these interventions will
play a pivotal role in bringing about a sustainable change
in the community. A key aspect of this intervention is that
it must incorporate teacher training and evaluation in
giving psycho-social support and activity based learning
to the Tea Tribe children.
There has to be regular monitoring on the level of learning
and development in children so that an early recourse may
be taken to overcome any lag. The community has to be
made responsible for the improvement of the living
conditions of the locality. Children’s groups, School
Management Committees, Parents’Committees,Mothers’
Club etc have to be formed with defined roles and
responsibilities.
There has to be a feedback mechanism reporting on the
functioning and impact of an intervention. There have to
be rewards and recognition of the ‘change makers’ from the
community to keep them motivated towards a sustainable
impact.
Correction and improvement of community character may
not be considered a contractual job. Awareness building
campaigns in the community must be performed for a
holistic approach involving government machineries, tea
management and other stake holders of the community.
Tea is one of the major exports of the country. Its
production depends on a fragile situation of a community
which warrants urgent attention. A complete resolution
may require substantial time and effort but a miss would
result in a multiplier effect of disastrous consequence on
the socio-economic condition of the entire nation.
An intervention to alleviate community health conditions
depends on the community acceptance of its needs. Its
impact will be sustainable only if the intervention can
bring in behavioral change in the community. There are
numerous attempts made to educate the community on
health practices. I have initiated many of them. These
efforts however could not make any significant change in
the community because of their inherent belief that their
health is the Company’s responsibility, not theirs.
The Angandwadi Centre, ASHA worker, Angandwadi
worker, ANM and the full-fledged Medical System will
not be able to make a difference to the community till they
take ownership of their own lives.
Community Healthcare
on the Tea Estates
Dr Bhaben Talukdar, who recently
retired from the Company, shares his
thoughts and experiences about the
welfare of our workers.
– Dr Bhaben Talukdar
44 July 2014
Van Linh
Factory
– Sakina Hussain
Phu Ben, Vietnam
Sakina Hussain , who keeps us abreast with the happenings in
our Vietnam operations, writes about The Van Linh factory, one
of the Company’s new acquisitions.
Just off National Highway 2, past a gate with the Indian Tricolour
and the National Flag of Vietnam fluttering, is Van Linh
(pronounced Vun Ling), built in 2008 by Mr Ta Xuan Thai.
Unfortunately, lack of expertise in the tea business coupled with
financial difficulties resulted in the shutting down of this Black CTC
factory, then known as Binh Minh (Sunrise) just a few months into
production. On 28 December 2009 the property was bought over by
PhuBen. Manufacture was resumed after some restructuring,
on 20 July 2010. Mr Thai now runs a motorcycle shop in the
neighbouring town of Viet Tri.
The first pilot tea project in Vietnam was called Van Linh. At the time
of the MRIL takeover, no plantation was attached to any factory and
leaf was sent on an ad hoc basis causing a reasonable degree of
confusion. Working on a suggestion made by Mr A Khaitan to
streamline operations, it was decided to assign plantations near each
factory with the same name for operational convenience and
discipline.Thus the erstwhile Van Linh Plantation came to be known
as Phu Tho Plantation and supplied leaf to Phu Tho factory. Not
wanting to lose the use of a name so widely recognized and associated
with tea throughout the country, it was decided to use the name Van
Linh for the new acquisition.
The Directors at Van Linh Factory
July 2014 45