June 22, 2011
Trinamool-led Government keeps Singur promise, moves a step further to return land
Kolkata, June 22: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday refused to hear ex-parte petition challenging the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Act, 2011.
Justice Saumitra Pal, while taking up the petition filed by the Tata Motors, directed its counsel to serve notice to the state government and said the matter would be taken up at 1 pm.
A day after West Bengal Governor M.K. Narayanan gave his assent, the State government on Tuesday issued a notification to turn the Singur Land Rehabilitation and Development Bill into law.
Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee said the notification would be followed by the framing of rules by a committee, which would determine the process to return an equivalent portion of land to the `unwilling` farmers of Singur. Their land was acquired by the earlier government for the now abandoned Tata Motors' small car project.
This marks the end of the first rapid fire round of events, set in motion by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee`s announcement on day one of her coming to power, that her Cabinet had decided to return the land at Singur.
The Singur Bill was moved on June 13 and passed a day later, with eight amendments.
Mr. Chatterjee reiterated on Tuesday that under this government, acquisition of land without the owner's consent would not be allowed. `Acquired land cannot be left unutilized either,` he said.
