Singur row: Mamata to discuss peace talks offer with party

KOLKATA: With West Bengal Governor making a bid to end the stalemate over Tata's Nano plant at Singur, Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee said she would consult with her party and the agitating goup a letter sent by him as the indefinite blockade demanding return of land to farmers entered its eighth day today. (Watch)

Normal work at the factory came to a grinding halt since Friday with the employees not turning up due to threats by the agitators and the blockade.

Today being a Sunday it was a holiday at the plant. Banerjee acknowledged that she had received a letter from Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi on Saturday and said she would consult her party colleagues and members of Krishi Jomi Jibon Jibika Rakha Committee, spearheading the movement for return of the 400 acres of project to unwilling farmers.

In the letter, Gandhi was reportedly advised Banerjee to call off the agitation and hold taks with the state government for ending the standoff.

The last stretch of Durgapur Expressway, the lifeline of Singur, continued to be clogged with heavy vehicles for the eighth day today as National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) project director Avdesh Kumar's request to Trinammol to withdraw the agitation was rejected.

NHAI has already filed an FIR with the local police station for violation of the National Highways Act.

The state government has assured NHAI of all cooperation after Calcutta High Court directed the authority to remove obstacles on the road and seek help of the state government if necessary.

Police said the situation so far was peaceful but a close watch was being maintained.