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State tea unit likely to lose Rs 13 lakhs for green tea sale
By Bijoy Kakchingtabam
The Manipur Tea Estate, Jiribam set up under the Manipur Plantation Crops Corporation Ltd (MPCC) is likely to lose sales proceed of Rs 13,16,830 lakhs to Assam's MS Jirighat Native Tea Company Regd Office as the latter has failed to pay the amount for the period 2000-2001 till date.
A reliable source from the MPCC which was set up during 1981-82 said a total of 3,02,567 kgs of green tea leaf costing Rs 21.18 lakhs was sold b the Assam company based in Dispur. The company has till date paid Rs 7, 48,139 lakhs while the remaining amount is still pending.
The source said instead of paying up, the Assam Company in March 2001 intimated the tea was found to be sub-standard and even machines have been damaged while processing it. It further asked the MPCC to send
fresh bills by giving 75 percent reduction on the tea leaf bought in July, August, September and October of 2000.
He said MPCC repeatedly rejected the company claim saying the quality of the tea leafs was okay at the time of the sale and maintained they have got receipts and challan to support the claim. It further informed that it will seek legal help if the money was not paid
at the earliest. In the meantime, the Employees Provident Fund
(EPF) Guwahati office to which MPCC owes a debt of Rs 18 lakhs in employer's share approached the Assam company to pay the money to it instead. EPF had frozen all accounts of MPCC four years back. The Jirighat Company
instead of paying the money filed a petition in the High Court seeking of stay of the prayers of the EPF.
Maintaining the Assam company's claim is not justified as the Tea Board had certified the tea leafs as best quality products, the MPCC source said they will approach the law courts to extract the amount.
On the other hand, Manipur Tea Estate, Jiribam has ceased production since 2000-01 as the State Government has failed to release funds to it which has led to the non-payment of workers' wages. Adequate fund has also not been allocated in the State Budget and the tea company is yet to pay wages of muster roll employees amounting to around Rs 9 lakhs.
The non-functioning has affected production and the tea plants have grown more than 2 meters tall beyond plucking level. The health of the tea plants is also deteriorating; the source said adding tea cultivation has been done in an area of 333.25Ha.
The tea estate which started production in 1985-86 has sold tea leafs of Rs 5153 in 1984-85, Rs 15,330 in 1986-87, Rs 36,132 in 1987-88, Rs 55,667 in 1988-89, Rs 64,405 in 1989-90, Rs 2,33,427 in 1990-91, Rs
338,865 in 1991-92, Rs 5,80,196 in 1992-93, Rs 7,60,000 in 1993-94, Rs 9,08,000 in 1994-95, Rs 6,22,848 in 1995-96, Rs 10,18,017 in 1996-97, Rs 24,90,490 in 1997-98, Rs 30,48,180 in 1998-99, Rs 35.41 lakhs in 1999-2000 and Rs 21.18 lakhs in 2000-20001.
Another tea factory set tip by the MPCC at a cost of Rs 2.45 crores has not started functioning after its completion three years back. Though most of the major machines have been installed, minor equipments like generating sets are yet to be installed as the Government has not released fund for it.
The MPCC source said the State's contribution to the factory should be Rs 25 crores. However, only Rs 12.98 crores has been released till date. The official said the Tea Board has informed that the factory will be auctioned as it has not been able to repay loans. The loan includes Rs 86.80 crores as plantation loan and another Rs 70 lakhs as factory loan. Of these, Rs 22.51 lakhs has been repaid.
The source said another Rs 22.51 lakhs has been released during the last financial year. The source added that it is pathetic that the Govt should consider closing down the corporation while on the
other hand it has failed to release its fund. An expert from outside should be appointed as the MD to revive the corporation, he opined.
(Courtesy: The Sangai Express) |
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