GTAC Tea Lounge to Offer Exotic Blends and Flavours, Benefit Growers

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: After the inauguration of the GTAC Tea Lounge by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC), it has received quite a satisfactory response from the public. To know various aspects, The Sentinel visited the GTAC Tea Lounge. Talking to Bidyananda Barkakoty Trustee, GTAC Tea Lounge Trust and Adviser, North Eastern Tea Association (NETA), The Sentinel came out with the information of uniqueness of the Tea Lounge.

The lounge has a lovely ambience and facilities including free parking facility, free wi-fi, availability of different types of savouries at affordable prices, books on tea and information on tea tourism etc. Speaking to The Sentinel, Barkakoty said, “We are satisfied with the response from the public. While coming to Assam, tourists always ask for Assam tea and Assam silk. For Assam silk, mostly they visit Pragjyotika Emporium and Jagaran, but we had lack of a proper place for authentic Assam tea. Now we can provide our domestic and international tourists with various types of tea including authentic Assam tea, non-blended tea, single estate origin tea, Garden fresh Tea etc.”

Regarding the special tea served to its customers, Barkakoty mentioned about CTC Tea, Orthodox Tea, Yellow Tea, White Tea, Oolong Tea, Purple Tea and Silver Needles Tea.

He said, “The Tea Lounge run by a trust formed by GTAC is definitely playing a vital role in promoting and popularizing our homemade products. It’ll promote tea consumption among youths as well as others, which will allow the possibilities of employment in the tea Industry”. While asked about how small tea garden owners can earn benefit with the help of this lounge, Barkakati said, “As GTAC only allows tea manufactured and packed by tea producers themselves and our small tea growers hardly make homemade tea. So they are not receiving the first hand benefit. But if they do so it’ll be beneficial for them.”

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