Amid the ongoing lockdown across India, some tea gardens have been opened since April 11 in several districts of the state in view of the damage done to the tea industry of Assam.

Roshni Korati, District Deputy Commissioner of Jorhat district, in an order has confirmed the opening of the tea industry in Jorhat from Saturday.

Referring to Clause 500 of an order of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, the District Deputy Commissioner held a meeting with the tea industry and other stakeholders on Friday after which the decision to open the tea gardens has been decided.

However, all tea plantation owners must ensure that a maximum of 50 per cent of the laborers and workers work in the plantation. Also, no one other than emergency services and laborers will be allowed to visit the plantation complex.

In addition, plantation management must ensure that laborers and workers follow one meter of social distancing and must inevitably wear masks and hand gloves.

The district administration has also asked the tea plantation management to provide handwash and other sanitation materials along with clean water to the workers.

Apart from Jorhat, tea gardens of Dibrugarh, the home district of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, have also been allowed to open on the same conditions.

The state's tea industries were shut down from March 24 due to the corona virus. Recently, the Tea Board of India had said in a statement that the tea industry of Assam may have to bear about 15 per cent revenue loss due to the lockdown.

In Assam, there have been a total of 29 cases of corona virus so far, while one person has died.

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