CALCUTTA, Sept 22: The members of the Tea Board expressed serious concern over the Union Government decision to allow imports of tea from the SAARC countries.The labour members of the board, who attended a meeting here today, informed the reporters later that ``the members have unanimously opposed the Government decision to allow the import of the tea.''The members felt the decision would not only hurt interest of the domestic tea growers, but it would severely damage the prospect of further growth in the export of the Indian tea.Interestingly, a couple of MPs, including from the BJP, who happen to be the members of the board, also decided to oppose the Union Government decision.Speaking to ENS, PL Subbiah, Adviser, Indian National Plantation Workers' Federation (INPWF), who also happens to be a member of the board, said: ``The decision is also politically unwise as any slowdown in the tea estates in the states, like Assam, Tripura would be exploited by the various extremists groups operating inthese areas.''Elaborating his point, Subbiah said a slowdown in production which will hit the employment generation in these states would inspire a section of youth to join the secessionist outfits.Criticising the decision severely, Alok Chakravorti, Joint General Secretary, (INPWF), said: ``At any rate we would oppose the decision because the import process will threaten the high quality of the domestic tea.''As for instance, Chakravorti said: ``If the Sri Lankan orthodox and Nepal's high-grown teas are blended, which is a strong possibility, the quality will be the first casualty.''Both Subbiah and Chakravorti, who claimed to have attended today's meeting, said: ``The board members did not understand the justification of taking off 10 per cent duty on the imported teas and re-clamping of 8 per cent excise duty on the internal production.''The labour members, Subbiah and Chakravorti, of the board claimed today that ``there is a growing consensus in the tea industry, among the various tradeunions and the managements, to unite against the Government decision.''Saying that they will try to include the Chief Ministers of the tea growing states in their movement, Subbiah disclosed that already the Chairman of the board was urged to convey the feelings of the board members to the Union Commerce Minister Ramakrishna Hegde.
