SINGUR/KOLKATA: The Mamata Banerjee government seems to be inching towards return of land from the disputed site in Singur, even as it fights a legal battle in Calcutta high court.
The Tata Nano factory was virtually taken over by the Hooghly administration on Thursday. Inventory of the articles inside the abandoned site was also conducted. Industries minister Partha Chatterjee said: "The process (of returning land) is under way. Let us wait and see what happens."
The minister was replying to queries by reporters at Writers' Buildings whether the ongoing legal tussle had stalled movement from the government's end. Chatterjee smiled and said, "Wait a while. You will get to know more in the assembly tomorrow. I can't say any more as the matter is sub judice."
The minister's sentiment was echoed in the administration's promptness in getting on with the formalities, after the gazette notification of the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, 2011. The law department is framing rules, even as Tata Motors has challenged the Act in high court.
After taking possession of the Singur factory complex late on Tuesday, the district administration got its act together, initiating inventory work on Thursday. Since morning, no local was in the vicinity as policemen (some 591 of them) took control. The rejoicing villagers and the mobs that stole iron rods and other materials from the compound on Wednesday had disappeared. About 40 staff members of the Singur BDO office, district land acquisition offices (DLO) in Singur and Chinsurah walked in after the police vacated six rooms inside the factory complex. These were used as welding, paint and engine shops when the factory was operational. The officials will be living inside the factory from now on -as will the policemen.
Hooghly SP, Tanmoy Roy Chowdhury, said, "We have posted nearly 600 policemen inside the factory."
The chassis of Nano cars and machinery parts lay strewn around the factory. Hooghly district magistrate Sripriya Rangarajan supervised the listing work and stayed on till the cataloging was complete.
Clearly the administration wasn't taking chances, especially as Tata Motor' advocate Samaraditya Pal alleged pilferage and loot at the project site, presenting video footage from news channels. In view of this, Justice Soumitra Pal has asked the DM, Hooghly, to submit a ground report by 11am on Friday.
Police on Thursday arrested one person from Bablaband area as he was carrying away bricks from the factory site. Police and officers from the district administration spoke to villagers asking them to maintain law and order.
Basudeb Das of Purba Para in Beraberi village, said, "We are sure we'll get our land back." But Udayan Das, a land-loser and member of the Singur Silpa Sthapan O Unnayan Committee, that has joined the Tatas in the court battle, said, "If the Tatas don't return, we shall demand our land back." He was one of those who had "willingly" parted with his land, for the sake of the Tata project.
PCC president Pradip Bhattacharya supported the government in its bid to return land to Singur farmers. "The government has kept its word," he said after meeting chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday.
The Tata Nano factory was virtually taken over by the Hooghly administration on Thursday. Inventory of the articles inside the abandoned site was also conducted. Industries minister Partha Chatterjee said: "The process (of returning land) is under way. Let us wait and see what happens."
The minister was replying to queries by reporters at Writers' Buildings whether the ongoing legal tussle had stalled movement from the government's end. Chatterjee smiled and said, "Wait a while. You will get to know more in the assembly tomorrow. I can't say any more as the matter is sub judice."
The minister's sentiment was echoed in the administration's promptness in getting on with the formalities, after the gazette notification of the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, 2011. The law department is framing rules, even as Tata Motors has challenged the Act in high court.
After taking possession of the Singur factory complex late on Tuesday, the district administration got its act together, initiating inventory work on Thursday. Since morning, no local was in the vicinity as policemen (some 591 of them) took control. The rejoicing villagers and the mobs that stole iron rods and other materials from the compound on Wednesday had disappeared. About 40 staff members of the Singur BDO office, district land acquisition offices (DLO) in Singur and Chinsurah walked in after the police vacated six rooms inside the factory complex. These were used as welding, paint and engine shops when the factory was operational. The officials will be living inside the factory from now on -as will the policemen.
Hooghly SP, Tanmoy Roy Chowdhury, said, "We have posted nearly 600 policemen inside the factory."
The chassis of Nano cars and machinery parts lay strewn around the factory. Hooghly district magistrate Sripriya Rangarajan supervised the listing work and stayed on till the cataloging was complete.
Clearly the administration wasn't taking chances, especially as Tata Motor' advocate Samaraditya Pal alleged pilferage and loot at the project site, presenting video footage from news channels. In view of this, Justice Soumitra Pal has asked the DM, Hooghly, to submit a ground report by 11am on Friday.
Police on Thursday arrested one person from Bablaband area as he was carrying away bricks from the factory site. Police and officers from the district administration spoke to villagers asking them to maintain law and order.
Basudeb Das of Purba Para in Beraberi village, said, "We are sure we'll get our land back." But Udayan Das, a land-loser and member of the Singur Silpa Sthapan O Unnayan Committee, that has joined the Tatas in the court battle, said, "If the Tatas don't return, we shall demand our land back." He was one of those who had "willingly" parted with his land, for the sake of the Tata project.
PCC president Pradip Bhattacharya supported the government in its bid to return land to Singur farmers. "The government has kept its word," he said after meeting chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday.
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