The West Bengal government today rejected Trinamool Congress' demand for return of 300 acres of land from within the project area of the Tata Motors' plant at Singur.
Emerging out of a two-and-a-half-hour meeting with West Bengal government representatives in the inspection committee WBIDC managing director Subrata Gupta and Hooghly DM Neelam Meena here, Trinamool MLA Rabindranath Bhattacharjee said that his party's demand for return of 300 acres to 'unwilling farmers' from within the project site has been rejected.
The Trinamool seeks return of 300 acres from the project premises and 100 acres from outside it to farmers.
The four-member technical committee, which also includes local Trinamool leader Becharam Manna, discussed the results of inspection of the project area carried out yesterday.
It was formed last Sunday following discussions between the West Bengal government and Trinamool Congress presided over by Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi to break the deadlock in Singur.
Bhattacharjee said talks today were held in a cordial atmosphere. This was the second meeting of the committee to have taken place. He said that both sides would meet again at the WBIDC office tomorrow afternoon.
The Trinamool MLA said both sides are trying to resolve the controversy. "We hope to submit a report within seven days' time," he said.