CPM defers Nandigram land acquisition

Kolkata, Jan 16 (UNI) In a significant development, the CPI(M) in West Bengal today said the process of land acquisition in Nandigram for the Salim's SEZ was yet to begin.

Indicating a 'go slow' in the move following the recent violence in the area, party's State Committee Secretary Biman Basu said a change had been brought in the alignment of the Indonesian group's projects in the state and Nandigram in East Midnapore district would come in the last leg.

''The projects would be executed in four phases over a period of ten to 12 years and East Midnapore would come in the last leg,'' he told reporters.

Mr Basu said land acquisition for Salim's projects would start first at Barasat in North 24 Parganas beginning work for infrastructure development, including an expressway and a river bridge in two phases. While an SEZ would come up in Haldia next, the process of setting up an SEZ for a chemical hub at Nandigram would be last on the agenda.

Pleading ignorance, Mr Basu evaded a direct reply to the question on whether the Nandigram project would take years to start.

''The alignment for taking up the projects has changed. It may further change in future also depending on the situation,'' he said.

In reply to another question, Mr Basu said the date of beginning the land acquisition process in Barasat had not been fixed by the Government and there was no time frame.

The CPI(M), which started a 45-day statewide campaign in favour of industrialisation following uproad in Singur and Nandigram, would hold bipartite meetings with the Left Front partners before launching a joint move to push ahead with the process, Mr Basu said.

Giving special emphasis to East Midnapore district, where the party would continue campaign for two months, the CPI(M) also published booklets containing facts and figures to convince the people on the urgency for setting up of industries in the state.

The party would also observe January 27 as 'Nandigram day' in a counter to the opposition campaign telling people ''what really happened there'' and what steps Government wanted to take.

UNI