The tea gardens at Manjolai fall silent as company gets ready to cease operations

Impending closure of tea estates in Manjolai sparks protests as workers fight for livelihood and heritage preservation.

Last Friday, a solemn quiet descended upon the once-vibrant tea estates of Manjolai and adjoining Ooththu, and Naalumukku, shattering the tranquillity that had long defined this picturesque corner of the Western Ghats. These lands, celebrated for their pristine air and tranquil waters, have stood as a sanctuary for generations of tea estate workers. Now, the familiar hum of workers’ chatter and the melodies of their songs are conspicuously absent, leaving the tea gardens eerily still. Nearby cemeteries and places of worship, once bustling with visitors, will be devoid of their usual activity.

The cause of this poignant silence is the impending closure of operations by the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation (BBTC), which has managed the estates since 1930. Acquiring 8,374 acres through a 99-year lease from the Zamin of Singampatti — the money helped the Zamin meet some legal expenses — BBTC transformed this rugged terrain into the enchanting tea estates that have defined Manjolai and the Naalumukku, Ooththu, Kuthiraivetti, and Kaakkaachi areas.

When the Zamin system was abolished, these lands were acquired by the government, which honoured the BBTC’s lease. Since the lease is expiring on February 11, 2028, the BBTC, in a bid to continue its operations beyond the lease period, appealed to the State government to give it ‘ryotwari patta’ since the company was cultivating tea on these lands. After this plea was turned down, the BBTC approached courts — right from the district court to the Supreme Court — in search of legal remedy. However, the legal battle went against the BBTC. This means the company has to vacate Manjolai and other areas by the end of the lease period.

Adding to the uncertainty is the designation of this scenic area as the core of the Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, surrounded by lush green forests teeming with wildlife, including tigers, elephants, and panthers. Amid this natural splendour, over 700 families have made their homes across Manjolai, Naalumukku, and Ooththu (where there are tea estates); and Kuthiraivetti, and Kaakkaachi, for generations. Now, faced with voluntary retirement offers from the BBTC, these families are rallying against an uncertain future, sparking widespread concern and protest.

The workers have appealed to the government to give at least a portion of the estates to them on lease and buy the green tea from them at a price fixed by the government.

“Since the government has given its land for tea estates in Udhagamandalam and Valparai, a similar arrangement can be made in Manjolai, considering the welfare of the workers, who have known no other life than cultivating tea. If the workers are shunted out of these lands, where they have lived for four generations, they will be left without livelihood,” says advocate Pinaygash of Manjolai, who is practising in the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.

Political parties have also rallied behind the workers, urging the government to intervene and secure their future. The promise of continued livelihood and a dignified existence hangs in balance as the community awaits a definitive decision from the authorities.