Darjeeling's loss in 50 days of Gorkha stir: Rs 400 crore and counting

Tea sector loses entire second flush due to shutdown, and Rs 200 cr of its Rs 500 cr annual earnings

Darjeeling, best known for tea gardens and tourism in the Himalayan foothills, is estimated to have taken a hit of at least Rs 400 crore already due to more than 50 days of Gorkhaland unrest and continuous shutdown. The losses could deepen further, according to people in the know both in the state government and businesses.                      

Around 80 per cent of the population in Darjeeling, a picturesque West Bengal town in the backdrop of Kanchenjunga, depends largely on the business of tea and tourism. The two sectors make up