Tata Motors can seek compensation for Singur land: Government

KOLKATA: West Bengal government on Friday said Tata Motors can seek compensation for Singur land before proper authorities and if aggrieved with the award, the company can then move the high court.

Advocate-General Anindya Mitra submitted before Justice I P Mukerji that Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, 2011, has a provision for compensation and TML should apply for it.

In case it feels aggrieved by the compensation award, TML can move the high court, he stated.

He submitted TML has from October, 2008, shifted 3,300 truckloads of machinery from the Singur plant but still they are claiming right over the 600 acres of land that was leased out to them for setting up the Nano car plant.

But the land has not been used for the purpose it was given for i.e. producing cars and thus generating employment, Mitra stated.

Claiming TML has no right to seek relief on the constitutionality of the Singur Act, the AG said a law can be declared unconstitutional when it is "anti-people".

Here the circumstances for framing the law by which the Singur land was vested by the government have to be taken into consideration, he submitted.

The government today completed its submission on the TML challenge of the Singur Act.

The matter would be taken up for hearing again on Monday when TML counsels would give their reply.