Tension running high in Singur

Kolkata, Jan 23 (UNI) Tension ran high in Singur once again when unidentified people hurled bombs and set afire few fencing posts around the site for the tata's small car project early this morning.

Police said the incident occurred when several bombs were hurled in Beraberi purbapara village and some people set fire to the wooden posts of the fencing at about 0300 hrs.

Police, however, rushed from a nearby camp and promptly put off the blaze before any major damage could take place.

This was the second time in three days that trouble broke out in the area after Tata Motors kickstarted the work for the project on Sunday last.

Police said no person was arrested so far in connection with the incidents.

A large contingent of police and Rapid Action Force persoonel had been camping and prohibitory orders under Section 144 Cr P C were in force in the area ever since Singur was rocked by the anti-land acquisition movement.

According to Mr M V Rao, Director Industry, work for earth filling would be taken up shortly in the small car site before setting up of necessary infrastructure, including a power sub-station, internal road linking and the boundary wall.

He said the work for construction of the main plant would start in a day or two.

A process was already on for registering the names of labourers from among the local people, especially those who had given their land for the project. In the peak working time, about 2,500 people would be involved, he said.

Accusing the state Government of going back on its words, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee said on Sunday last that it was shocking that Tata Motors continued to push through the project work even though the Chief Minister had assured of holding negotiations.

Meanwhile, Industry Minister Nirupam Sen said yesterday that the Government would not make any further communication with Ms Mamata Banerjee for holding talks on the Singur issue and the ball was in the court of the Trinamool leader to come forward responding to the four letters Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had earlier send to her.

UNI