UDHAGAMANDALAM
Having started on a colourful note on Friday, the 2013 Tea and Tourism Festival titled ‘Ootea Fest’, on Saturday focused on competitions to familiarise visitors with little known aspects of the beverage.
In tune with this, a tea making competition was organised and tourists were shown the tea manufacturing process at the Tiger Hill tea factory of the Tamil Nadu Tea Plantation Corporation (TANTEA), near Coonoor. However, observers regretted that stakeholders were conspicuous by their absence.
When asked for his views on this, Tourist Officer S. Dorairaj contended that the department can only act as a facilitator and added, “it is up to the stake holders to capitalise on the initiative”. They should play a proactive role in using the event to promote the two sectors which are vital for the Nilgiris. If a full-fledged tea tasting session had been organised, it would have helped enhance awareness about the efforts that are being put in to produce high quality teas.
Full report here Hindu
