CII askes Mamata to act responsibly on Nano issue

Kolkata, Sep 02 (UNI) Joining the Singur fray, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) today urged Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee to 'act in a responsible manner' for resolving the stand off over Tata Motors' Nano project before it was 'too late'.

In a forthright statement, issued on the eve of a meeting between West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata, CII Chief Mentor Tarun Das said it was time that the Trinamool leader gave up her demand for land for farmers from within the project area considering its unique and integral nature and the potential it had for creating jobs and setting in roll West Bengal's industrialization.

"The situation in Singur is unfortunate and the solution to the present stand off lies with Ms.Mamata Banerjee who is representing the agitators and protestors I sincerely hope that Ms.Banerjee and her colleagues act in a responsible manner before it is too late," Mr Das said in the statement.

Observing that the future of the state was lying in developing a strong manufacturing sector, he said the position taken by the protestors led by Ms.Banerjee was threatening the project which had the potential to create thousands of jobs. "The Tatas had often repeated their stand on the need of the integrated nature of the mother plant and its ancillary units, and any forced change to the plan of designing the plant would delay the launch of the Nano and impact its cost", he said.

This would disappoint thousands of people across the country aspiring to own a safe four wheel personal trasportation, he added.

Mr.Das said presently the ideas for the implementation of the project was being offered by individuals "who have no experience in developing an automobile manufacturing plant and definitely no perspective on an unique product like the Nano.".

Observing that the state Government had shown restraint in handling the 'violent nature of protests and coercion', Mr.Das said it had also tried to accommodate the demands of the protestors by offering additional rehabilitation to the affected people as also compensation.

As the long drawn agitation by Ms.Banerjee, demanding 300 acres of land from within the project area for Singur land losers is about to force Tata Motors make an exit from Singur, the Chief Minister, in a last ditch effort, will seat with Mr. Ratan Tata trying to persuade him to stay back.

Amid a political tussle, Tata Motors, which invested Rs 150 crore, kept suspended work at the Singur since September two and announced its plan to relocate the project outside the state.

Meanwhile, the CPI (M) state Secretariat resolved at an emergency meeting tonight to urge the state Government to assure the Tatas to resume work at Singur and assure them all protection. The Secretariat members were of the view that the state could not afford to allow Tata Motors to pack up baggage and set up the unit outside the state since it would erode into the credibility of the Government.

Observing that West Bengal was not the only place troubled by Opposition movement, the Secretariat called upon the Government to be firm and go ahead with it plan to implement the Singur project, especially after the 'much of leniency' it had shown so far and the rehabilitation package announced for the land losers.

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