Nepal Tea Development Corporation (NTDC) has appealed to all people concerned to take initiatives for withdrawal of strikes in tea estates and factories in east Nepal.

In a public notice issued in Thursday’s Kantipur daily, the NTDC has said that it was always ready for dialogues over demands forwarded by the workers.

The protracted strike would only affect them both –company and workers-, the NTDC said.

Since mid-July, the tea estates and factories have been shut down following an indefinite strike announced by Maoists’ trade union wing and workers there, reports said.

The industry has been severely hit, as July, August and September are the most determining period for tea production and collection of green tea leaves.

According to the notice, the NTDC is incurring loss over millions due to the strike. It has urged the concerned union, government, rights activists, journalists, civic society, Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries and Nepal Tea Federation, among others, to take initiatives for an immediate withdrawal of the strike.