Mr Nirupam Sen

Our Bureau

Kolkata, July 31 The West Bengal government has said that land acquired in Singur for the Tata small car project cannot be returned to their owners. Instead, the state government has appealed to all political parties and stakeholders concerned to come to the negotiating table and deliberate on how the vexed issue of land acquisition for the Tata Nano project can be resolved with a view to ensuring that the Nano rolls out of the Tata Motors’ Singur factory as scheduled later this year.

Addressing a news conference here on Thursday, Mr Nirupam Sen, West Bengal’s Minister for Industries & Commerce, said the state government would take all administrative measures required to ensure that work at the project site continues without any hindrance.

The issue would be appropriately addressed at the political level, too, he said.

Mr Sen was reacting to Tata Motors’ Managing Director, Mr Ravi Kant’s statement in Mumbai on Wednesday that the Tatas would continue in Singur “as long as our patience lasts”.

He was responding to questions veering around disturbances, including assaults, at the factory site.

The Trinamool Congress-supported Bhoomi Uched Pratirod Committee has been protesting against the acquisition of farmland for the Tata Nano project and has demanded that it be returned to those landowners who have not accepted their compensation cheques.

The Trinamool Congress leader, Ms Mamata Banerjee, has announced that she would launch an agitation from the middle of August if 400 acres of acquired land is not returned to their owners.

Ms Banerjee has ruled out any compromise in this regard.

Asked if it would be possible for the State Government to return the acquired land to those who have not accepted their compensation cheques, Mr Sen said there was no provision in the law to do so.

Besides, even if doing so was legally possible, it would not be feasible under the prevailing circumstances.

“The land that belonged to those who have not accepted their compensation cheques is scattered and not located at any one corner.

“Some of it is within the precincts of the factory site.

“As such, giving back such land to their owners would lead to scrapping of the project,” he said.

Mr Sen said the smooth completion of the Tata Nano project at Singur was “important for West Bengal” and appealed to all political parties to assist in its implementation, which, he said, would go a long way in benefiting the economy of West Bengal in general and Singur in particular.

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