2nd meeting on Singur inconclusive

Kolkata, Sep 11(UNI) The second meeting of the committee to look into the possibility of returning land to the Singur farmers ended inclusive today with the opposition members sticking to the demand to provide 300 acres from within the Nano project area.

Trinamool Congress MLA Rabindranath Bhattacharya, who is one of the members of the committee, told reporters that another meeting would be held tomorrow.

"The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere. However, there is need for extending talks and that is why another round of meeting will be held tomorrow," he said.

The other members of the committee are West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation Managing Director Subrata Gupta, Hooghly District Magistrate Neelam Meena and Trinamool Congress leader Becharmam Manna.

The committee was constituted following a conciliatory meeting, between Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee at the Raj Bhavan on September seven.

In reply to a question, Mr Bhattacharya said the opposition representatives had already identified 300 acres of land from within the project areas to be given back to farmers.

"We have told the Government representatives that these 300 acres can be given to farmers. However, we are yet to get their views," he said.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechuri said he was hopeful that the committee would be able to find a way out in resolving the Singur tangle.

"The problem in Singur is a matter of the state. So, the state Government is looking into it. But, I am hopeful that the committee formed to look into the possibility of identifying land for returning to farmers will find a way out to end the crisis," he told reporters.

Mr Yechuri, who visited the ailing CPI(M) patriarch Jyoti Basu at a city hospital, is scheduled to attend tomorrow's state secretariat meeting of the party, expected to take up the Singur issue.

UNI KDG PL RN1803