Public CompanyWB govt requests Tatas to return Singur land
The West Bengal government today said it was in touch with the Tatas for return of the lease land at its abandoned Nano project site in Singur.
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"We have requested the Tatas to return the land at Singur but there has been no intimation to the state government about compensation for the land," Chief Secretary Asok Mohan Chakraborty told reporters.
"Why is there talk of compensation? We have also spent money on guarding the land at Singur which has not been used for the purpose it was acquired," he said.
The official said that personally he felt that if such a demand was made "it will definitely be discussed at the appropriate level of the state government."
He said one round of talks has been held with the Tatas and more would follow.
The land at Singur measuring 997 acre was acquired by the state government and leased over to Tata Motors for its Rs 1-lakh car project Nano. However, the Tata Motors had to shift the project out of Singur after violent protests by the Trinamool Congress last October.
After that, the BHEL refused to set up a power plant there citing infrastructure and other problems, following which Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee suggested setting up a coach manufacturing factory in tie up with the state government.