Centre slashes funds to Tocklai Tea Research Institute (TTRI)

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The Assistant Solicitor General of India, SC Keyal has admitted before the Gauhati High Court that there are financial constraints in the Tocklai Tea Research Institute (TTRI), Jorhat, as the Government of India has reduced financial support to it. He has also said that under the circumstances, the institute is facing financial constraints in making payments to the staff. Taking a judicial notice of the fact, the division bench of the High Court comprising Justice Ajai Lamba and Justice Soumitra Saikia said that “Assam without tea would not be the same Assam we and the world know.”

Against such a backdrop, the petitioner’s counsel has suggested that “a Board of experts be constituted who would go into the functioning of the Tocklai Tea Research Institute, only in regard to research and development work and provide recommendations”. He further informed the Court that “the petitioners are willing to bear the expense of such an exercise. Such a body of persons can not only give suggestions as regard to the future development in research and development that could take place but also as regard the development on these fields in the last about 10 years.”

The bench added that “the body of persons would also give suggestions as how to convert tea farming into organic farming also” and “Mr SC Keyal, learned Assistant Solicitor General of India, would also be at liberty to not only suggest scientists from outside the Research Institute, but also the fields in which improvement is possible”. The Court will again hear the PIL (70/2019) filed by Upen Kalita on February 14, 2020.

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