Singur land will be given within stipulated time: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal government will issue notification for the process of returning land in Singur on Thursday and the process will be completed within the stipulated time by the Supreme Court, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.

"We will survey the land in Singur within two weeks. After land survey and compensation, physical possession of land will be given within the time stipulated by the court," Banerjee said at a press conference after a strategy meeting on return of land in Singur.

The Supreme Court verdict had ruled on Wednesday that the acquisition of land in Singur by the Left Front-led West Bengal government for Tata Motors' Nano project was illegal.

The court has ordered a survey of the land in 10 weeks and the entire exercise of return of land to be completed in 12 weeks.

Observers said that maintaining the stipulated time may not be all that difficult for the government, as the court verdict had simplified the redistribution of land for Banerjee.

Banerjee's pre-electoral stand was return of 400 acres belonging to 'unwilling' farmers. However, the 400 acres was not contiguous but scattered across the project site measuring 997.17 acres.

Banerjee, after becoming the Chief Minister in 2011, had maintained that 600 acres would be available for industry and the 400 acres would have to be returned. This lead to obvious conclusion that many of 'unwilling' farmers would get land belonging to the 'willing' farmers. But that wasn't okay with the 'willing' farmers.

By order of the court now, the entire 997.17 acres would be redistributed to its original owners.

Banerjee assured that there would be no discrimination in distribution of land as the land records were with the government.

"Those who did not take the money for compensation will be given their dues, according to the court verdict," she said. Of the 13,000 project-affected farmers, 2,000 refused to accept compensation cheques and thereby became Singur's 'unwilling' farmers.

The court has also said that the compensation made to 'willing' farmers shall not be recovered as they were not able to enjoy the land for the last 10 years.

The Chief Minister also said that the state government had decided to give possession to bargadars, according to land records before acquisition.

The land, which had been filled with fly ash, will be made suitable for agriculture by the state government.

Lest industry — being wooed by Bengal — misunderstands, Banerjee clarified, "Industry and agriculture can coexist in Bengal." But tomorrow, Bengal will observe Singur Utsav.
THE STORY SO FAR

• May 18, 2006: Tata Motors announces Nano plant in Singur, West Bengal
   
• Jan 21, 2007: Tata Motors starts construction of small car plant in West Bengal
   
• Jan 18, 2008: Calcutta High Court upholds Singur land acquisition, says it is legal
   
• Aug 24, 2008: Mamata Banerjee starts indefinite dharna at Singur
   
• Sept 2, 2008: Tata Motors suspends work on Nano plant at Singur
   
• Oct 3, 2008: Tata Motors decides to move out of Singur
   
• Jun 14, 2011: Singur Land Rehabilitation & Development Bill, 2011, passed in the Legislative Assembly
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• Oct 29, 2011: Tata Motors challenges high court order upholding Singur Act, 2011
   
• Jun 22, 2012: The Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court strikes down the Bill
   
• Aug 6, 2012: State govt moves Supreme Court
   
• Aug 31, 2016: SC rules that acquisition was illegal