Speaking at the 28th annual general meeting of the North Bengal branch, association chairman DN Banerjee said that it was the need of the hour to make available additional land to the needy gardens.

Banerjee said that for some reason or the other, the state government did not allot land to those gardens of Jalpaiguri district, which were duly recommended by the district magistrate concerned.

Banerjee also urged the West Bengal government to regularise several small tea gardens which had come up during in the last few years in Uttar Dinajpur, Darjeeling, Coochbehar and Jalpaiguri districts, giving a yield of 35 million kgs per year.

He also stressed on animal depredation in North Bengal gardens, which continued to remain a menace to the garden management as well as the workers. Banerjee also urgedthe West Bengal department of wildlife to undertake more effective measures to ensure safety to the garden labourers.