Arunachal landowners to shut down Mopa Tea Estate over non-payment of dues

ITANAGAR: The Landowners of the Mopa Tea Estate has announced to shut down the tea firm in Longding district, an undertaking by the state government of Arunachal Pradesh over non-payment of pending dues.

The landowners under the forum of Longhua, Mopakhat and Sangsatham United Society (LMSUS), said that they will shut down the estate from January 21, and shall not open it until their pending payments were cleared by the Arunachal Pradesh Forest Corporation Ltd (APFCL).

The 92 hectares of land was given on long-term lease to APFCL during 1978-79, sources reported.

The owners claimed that their land rents have not been cleared for more than 30 years.

Terming it as unfair, the landowners said that they had already started their tea plantations in 1979 but signed the agreement in 1992.

It was signed between APFCL and the Rujen Welfare Society (RWS).

Meanwhile, they have sought a meeting with the managing director of APFCL at the earliest.

(Edited by Gabriel G Momin)