Kolkata, Aug 18 (IANS) State Tourism Minister Shankar Ghosh on Tuesday alleged that various tea garden lands in north Bengal were sold illegally during the Trinamool era and that the proceeds from the illegal sales went to the Trinamool party fund.
He said the money was used in Trinamool’s election campaign in the state.
At a press conference, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Shankar Ghosh from Siliguri demanded an investigation into the transfer of tea garden lands during the Mamata Banerjee era, alleging “institutional corruption”.
The government of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has already formed a commission headed by retired Justice Biswajit Basu to investigate corruption in various government sectors.
The Tourism Minister said he will write a letter to the Chief Minister, requesting him to look into all issues related to land transfer, lease, and commercial use through the commission. He said he will investigate how, and for whose benefit, the tea garden lands were used.
The Tourism Minister also announced plans to further emphasise tea tourism in the tea gardens of north Bengal. He said he will make arrangements to accommodate tourists in old bungalows by signing agreements with several tea garden owners and organisations.
“We have a plan to strengthen the local economy by connecting workers and residents of tea gardens with the tourism industry. Emphasis will be placed on the system so that local people and tea workers directly benefit from tourism,” he said. Along with the old bungalows, there is a plan to build homestays inside the tea gardens.
The minister said the state government’s goal is to turn tea gardens into important tourism destinations, not just tea production areas.
However, he also said the government will maintain a balance so the main character of tea gardens and the interests of the tea industry are not damaged by tourism expansion.
He said the current government has approved the proposal to use 15 per cent of the tea garden area for commercial purposes.
–IANS
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