Kolkata, Dec 30 (IANS): Duncans Industries will reopen its Dhumchipara tea garden in the next week, the company's non-executive chairman G.P. Goenka said on Thursday.

"I went to Nabanna (State Secretariat) and met officials. There was no specific agenda of the meeting. I discuss the situation about where we stand and what is happening and what is not happening.

"We will make all the seven tea gardens operational one by one. Birpara is already operational and Dhumchipara will be operational next week," he said after the meeting.

The company got back the management control of the gardens following a Calcutta High Court order in September this year.

On January 28, the Union Commerce and Industry Ministry had issued notification under section 16E of the Tea Act to take over the management or control of seven tea estates - Birpara, Garganda, Lankapara, Tulsipara, and Huntapara, Dhumchipara - owned by Duncans Industries Ltd. and Demdima tea estate operated by Duncans-controlled Santipara Tea Co Ltd.

Duncans had challenged the notification in court.