Calcutta HC approves Singur land takeover

In a major relief to the Tata Motors' Rs 1 lakh car project site at Singur and the West Bengal government, the Calcutta High Court today rejected all applications filed by land-losers and some non-government bodies against the acquisition of land and its hand-over to the Tatas for the factory at the site.

A written copy of the order, by Chief Justice S S Nijjar and Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh, was yet to be issued.

Construction at the 1,000-odd-acre site, 45 km west of Kolkata on National Highway 2, had been progressing rapidly but had been under a shadow due to the litigation.

Land-losers for around 300 acres were yet to collect their compensation cheques.

The government had acquired the land stating it was for a "public purpose" while the applicants had sought to make out the case that the land was acquired for a "private company" to house its automobile plant.

The state had offered compensation based on the valuation of the acquired area as agricultural land along with a premium and an "early bird" incentive for those who voluntarily gave up land before the deadline of December 2006, after which the land was denotified and released for non-agricultural use.

Commenting on today's ruling, West Bengal Commerce and Industry Minister Nirupam Sen said it would strengthen the state's industrialisation drive.

Meanwhile the state government said land-losers would not only be compensated with cash but rehabilitated too.

To this end, talks were on with 55 component manufacturers on skill-set requirements.