Singur land return process to gather momentum from October 21

KOLKATA: The process to return land to the Singur farmers is likely to gather momentum from October 21 as the government has completed 90 per cent of the work for the purpose of giving back the land to the farmers.

West Bengal education minister and Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee told ET on Friday that "I held a meeting with the Hooghly district administration and have asked them to make necessary arrangements for returning land to the farmers and I believe that the land return process will gather momentum from October 21." Interestingly, the chief minister Mamata Banerjee had announced that Singur farmers would get back their land after the Pujas.

The Supreme Court, in a historic verdict on August 31 this year, had asked West Bengal government to return land to the Singur farmers within 12 weeks. Following the verdict, Mamata's government is supposed to complete the land return process by November 30. But Mamata is certain to return the land before the Supreme Court deadline and has instructed her administration to work accordingly.

The previous Left Front government had acquired 997 acres of which only 56 acres were used for construction of the factory shed for the Tata Motor's small car project. There is no heavy construction on rest of the 931 acres of land and Mamata's government is unlikely to face any problem in returning this portion of land (931 acres) to the farmers. "We have already started demolishing the factory shed spread over 56 acres at Singur and we will return this land after converting it into cultivable one," said Chatterjee.

Mamata had visited Singur on September 14 to hold her victory rally there and during the day, she had handed over land deeds to 6761 farmers whose land was acquired forcibly by the previous Left Front government. The chief minister had also handed over cheques to 3300 persons during her Singur visit on September 14.

But Mamata's government is facing problem with 56 acres where the factory shed was constructed.