Statesman News Service
KOLKATA, Sept. 2: Days after Tata Group chairman Mr Ratan Tata threatened to walk out of the Singur small car project, Tata Motors issued a statement today saying that it was evaluating alternative options for manufacturing Nano at other facilities of the company. Earlier in the day, the Tatas reportedly sought the Governor’s intervention to end the stalemate. A way out of the impasse was offered by Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who both chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Trinamul Congress chief Miss Mamata Banerjee confirmed, had agreed to mediate between the government and the Trinamul which wants the government to return some 400 acres of land which she says had been acquired from unwilling farmers.The chief minister was cautious, saying: “I have met the Governor today and requested him that he take the initiative to find a solution to the situation that has evolved at Singur as the Governor. There is no need for any mediator. The honourable Governor is considering this proposal.” But Miss Banerjee was categorical that the Governor has agreed to step in after she conferred with Leader of the Opposition Mr Partha Chatterjee who was shuttling between Singur and the Raj Bhavan with former Rajya Sabha member Mr Dinesh Trivedi during the day. Mr Bhattacharjee issued his statement after a nearly two-hour-long meeting with Mr Gandhi at Raj Bhavan. Within an hour of the Tata ultimatum, Miss Banerjee said the Tatas could resume work at the factory from tomorrow as "our agitation has nothing to do with the Tatas' decision (to explore alternative manufacturing options)." The company suspended work at Singur for the fourth consecutive working day today, saying the decision had been taken in view of "continued confrontation and agitation at the site". "The decision was taken in order to ensure the safety of the employees and contract labourers...” a company statement read. Commenting on the situation, a Tata Motors spokesperson said: "There is no way this plant could operate efficiently unless the environment became congenial and supportive of the project. We came to West Bengal hoping we could add value, prosperity and create job opportunities...." But in Singur, Miss Banerjee insisted that her activists had not gone any where near the factory or damaged any part of it in the past 10 days. She felt it was improper of the Tatas to issue another ultimatum and blamed the chief minister's "negative attitude" for the current impasse, who, she said, did not want industry and agriculture to co-exist in the state. But this time, Miss Banerjee was ready to "offer a one-line solution". "Let the small car factory come up on the 600 acres allocated to it and the ancillary projects on the other side of the highway opposite to the factory... This land (opposite to the factory on the other side of the highway) has been brought by developers enjoying the CPI-M's blessings. The government can easily acquire this plot where the ancillary units can come up. An underpass can bridge the small car factory site with the campus for ancillary units," she said. Even LF chairman Mr Biman Bose felt that “it's very unfortunate that such a decision (by the Tatas) has been taken when a way out of the impasse is being sought through discussion.” He urged the Tatas to reconsider their decision. Sourav Ganguly said: “The starting of the Nano project will be a beginning of an era in West Bengal which will completely revolutionalise the prospect of the state and the future of the youth...’’ Reacting to Sourav’s remark, a Trinamul leader said: “Does Sourav know where Singur is?’’ ( END) Source: The Statesman
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