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Thus the name Samdang came about. Samdang T.E. has three
divisions - Mesaijan, Samdang and Panikhowa. Mesaijan,
with 369.70 hectares, produces 42% of the total green leaf,
Panikhowa with an area of 242.01 hectares produces 25% and
Samdang with 308.74 hectares produces the rest.The factory,
with an installed capacity for 1.75 million kg of made tea,
manufactures some of the finest CTC and Orthodox teas.The
estate also sources leaf from the Small Tea Growers, whose
contribution is around 20% of the total annual production.
Samdang has seen many changes in its ownership, with
Mcleod Russel India Ltd taking over in 2006 from Hindustan
Unilever Ltd. The factory compound has a number of old
machinery and implements in spic and span condition,
displayed on its premises.
There is an interesting
story of how Panikhowa
division got its name.
During World War I,
enemy forces were
believed
to
have
poisoned the drinking
water sources of the entire area. Subsequently, the Army
constructed a number of ringwells, the water of which was
used by the soldiers and fiercely guarded too! Hence the name
Pani (water) Khowa (drink). A number of such ringwells are
present even today in this division.
The estate is in the process of getting accredited with the
Rainforest Alliance Certificate in 2014-15 and the
management has been instrumental in raising awareness of
the same among the workers. To this effect, the women
workers here have played an important role in educating the
workforce of the importance of this certification. Elina Nag,
one of the women working towards this end, has been
educating the workers by reading out the programme in the
local dialect for better understanding. HACCP and ISO
22000 certifications have already been awarded to Samdang
in 2008 and 2013 respectively.
Sometime in the 1950s, the then Superintendent, Mr C.S.
Caseborn, had started a piggery, a dairy farm with around a
hundred cows, a fishery, an orange orchard and a pineapple
‘bari’ in the Tokoni section of Panikhowa division. The
produce, sold at concessional rates, catered to the needs of
the executives, staff and workers of Samdang and its
neighbouring estates – Raidang, Daimukhia and Beesakopie.
In 1989 however, this entire area of 70 hectares was reclaimed
for tea planting.
The ecosystem is well preserved here, with an abundance of
local flora and fauna. The garden is frequented by herds of
wild elephants especially during the winter months, when
they come for paddy in the nearby fields.They also visit the
places where the local brew (Hariya) is made, it being their
favourite drink! As such, it has been told that many such
‘businesses’ have had to close shop on account of four-legged
customers who do not pay! Leopards are often seen in the
Sections and one such magnificent animal who was creating
some havoc was captured with the help of forest officials and
released in the jungle in December 2013. The management
plays an important role in ensuring the safety of wild animals
and birds, and awareness on this issue is raised with various
signs displayed all around the garden.
The vermi-compost unit provides organic manure for the tea
and shade nurseries.
There are three Lower Primary schools with an attendance
of around seven hundred children, taught by dedicated staff.
The students too have actively participated in protecting the
environment and recently initiated an awareness programme
on this theme through street plays.
Sailen Jyoti Baruah,
son of Shri Gopi
Nath Baruah, a
member of the field
staff, won the Nehru
Award for academic
excellence at school
in 2010-11. He is
presently in his final year of college, studying Science at
J.B. College, Jorhat.
The majority of the
workers are of the
Hindu faith, with
Christians comprising
about ten percent of
the total populace.
There is a lovely Shiv
temple where Shiv
Ratri is celebrated on a large scale each year.The vast number
of pigeons present in its premises, have found a home in a
large pigeon coop constructed
next to the temple. Christians
attend the church adjoining
the estate.
Clockwise from bottom left: Pre-Independence Pumps & Motors; Mobile Fire
Extinguisher 1944; Borbora Tea Leaf Conditioner 1964; Sub-Soiler 1977
Raising Awareness - R A Certification
WWI Ringwell
Factory
Visitors...
Prize Day at LP School