Rejoinder from Tea Research Association Tocklai Tea Research Institute

I would like to draw your attention to the news item published in The Sentinel on October 12 which reads as follows;

“Union sources further said that Tocklai Tea Research Institute headed under Tocklai Tea Research Association, the pioneer and oldest tea research institution is once more in the headline for non-fulfilment of the demands as a major portion of the funds and benefits meant for its employees are being diverted towards its Kolkata Office where there have been no activities, as there exists a nominal number of staff. This has put the research institute in a dilemma.

Moreover, all research works including research and development (R&D) activities, field visits, advisory procedures to its member gardens are done by the scientists based in Tocklai in Jorhat here, but the headquarter based at Kolkata is siphoning all the major portion of its fund towards its headquarter leaving all employees to go without minimum benefits. Whereas a huge number of Tocklai employees are yet to receive their pension benefits which had even crossed the tenure from the date of their retirement, informed K Gohain to this correspondent.

It may be mentioned that Tocklai Tea Research Station since the British scientists left, has been dominated by a Kolkata based lobby where no activities or research are being carried out, just monitoring the functioning of the research station. When any of its employees makes link against their demands for any purpose then he or she is straightaway transferred to its sub station either at Terai, Nagarkata, Dikom, Silchar, Arunachal or Tripura. After getting similar policy by the Kolkata Management, everyone has to remain tight-lipped, said sources.”

The statements made in the news item are factually incorrect, gross misrepresentation of facts and made without cross verification with TRA authorities, which only indicates malicious intentions to harm the reputation of this century-old institute. Tocklai Tea Research Institute was set up by the Indian tea industry in 1911 under the scientific department of Indian Tea Association (ITA). In 1964 ITA transferred the running of Tocklai to Tea Research Association (TRA) which was set up in 1964 by 17 tea companies of the Indian tea industry as a society under the WB Societies Registration Act. Along with Tocklai other branches such as Nagrakata Sub Station in West Bengal and other branches in Darjeeling, Terai, Dikom, Thakurbari, Cachar were transferred to TRA by ITA by having Tocklai as the research headquarter. The IRA Kolkata office is primarily responsible for collection of 95% of the total fund requirement of all branches of IRA including Tocklal. It collects subscriptions from more than 600 tea companies (majority based in Kolkata), 150 companies registered as Associate members and grants in aid from Tea Board of India.

The branch wise expenditure of TRA as of 2018-19 In terms of salaries and wages ( 88% of total TRA budget is salaries) are given as under:

Tocklai Tea Research Institute : 67% of the total budget, North Bengal Regional R&D Centre, Nagrakata : 11% of the total budget, Upper Assam Advisory Centre, Dikom : 6 % of the total budget, North Bank Assam Advisory Centre : 4 % of the total budget, Cachar Branch Advisory Centre : 2.5% of the total budget, Darjeeling Branch Advisory Centre : 2.5 % of the total budget, Terai Branch Advisory Centre : 2 % of the total budget, Tripura Branch Advisory Centre : 0.50 % of the total budget, Arunachal Branch Advisory Centre : 0.50 % of the total budget, Meghalaya Branch Advisory Centre : 0.50% of the total budget, Kolkata office & Tea Testing Labs : 3.5% of the total budget.

The above are audited accounts carried by Delloitte Haskins & Sells, statutory auditors of the Association.

In the event of above, we would like to be apprised as to what portion of funds are diverted to Kolkata office as alleged in your news item. If the same cannot be proved, then the allegation would be false and liable for legal scrutiny.

Further another report published in your daily appeared on October 19 which states as below:

“As days passed, the crisis at Tocklai Tea Research Institute deepens as authority headed by Dr. Anup Kumar Barooah had to skip-off from his workplace and away from employees as the authority is under severe pressure due to fund diversion to its registered office at Kolkata; so employees, ex-employees demanded shifting of the office from Kolkata, which is of no use, and urged to stop politics and requested to bring back working environment, said the secretary of Tocklai Retired Employees Association Ajit Kumar Sarmah while briefing the press here on Friday.

From Friday a total of 18 private security guards catering services at 8 different points within the premises of Jorhat campus threatened to leave the scene due to non-payment of salary for several months and even during Bihu. Secondly, due to no oil, generator services have been suspended while the entire campus will get direct raw unfiltered water due to non availability of bleaching powder and potash alum. Moreover employee’s transportation of employee’s children to school and colleges will be suspended from Monday next due to non-availability of fuel. But of late the employees fear that Assam Power Distribution Corporation Limited might disconnect the power supply, which is almost knocking at the door, for outstanding amount that mounted to over several lakh. If It happens then it will be a big shame for us, sold a section of employees during the press interaction.”

The statements made in the news item are factually incorrect, gross misrepresentation of facts and made without cross verification with TRA authorities, which only indicates malicious intentions to harm the reputation of the organization. The Director TRA was on an official tour to Maijan TE, Dibrugarh for a event of one of the member companies and did not skip off from the workplace. The headline of the story “Tocklai Crisis Deepens; Authority Mum; Private Security Leaves Site “ is a gross misrepresentation of facts. The private security firm is very much working at Tocklai and the proof of the same is enclosed as Annexure 1 with photo of guards on duty on Oct 21 with their attendance register. The private security personnel have not been denied salary for months and their due for the September 2019 is only pending. The school bus for plying employees’ children is not stopped. The electricity bills of Assam Power Distribution Corporation Limited have been paid up to date.

We would again state the figures quoted in the above chart of the expenditure and request to prove the alleged fund diversion to Kolkata office.

The fund crunch in the institute has arisen due to lower allocation of funds on R&D by the Department of Commerce, Government of India to Tea Board of India and poor collection of subscription from the tea industry due to the prevailing depression in the tea sector. However a definitive plan of action has been made to make TRA Tocklai fully self-sufficient, financially, as per the directives of the Government.

In the above context, we would like to state that such unverified news reports not only defy journalistic ethics but have brought disrepute to the name of Tocklai Tea Research Institute and its rich heritage. While carrying out the above stories no effort was made to carry the Management’s view on the comments made in the news items. The news of October 19 was widely circulated over social media which have brought immense disrepute to Tocklai both nationally and internationally.

The members of the Indian tea industry who contributes to the running of Tocklai is perturbed at the defamation of the institute through the article and is considering all options available.

— Administrative Controller

Also Watch: ILP checking at border areas of Assam-Arunachal Pradesh raises uproar among public