HC directs WB govt to restore normality in Nandigram

Kolkata, May 3 (UNI) Calcutta High Court today directed West Bengal government to restore normality in Nandigram, where hundreds of people have started deserting their homes fearing violence that has become a daily feature in the village since the March 14 massacre.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surinder Singh Nijjhar and Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh also asked the government to immediately supply essential commodities to the village, which was facing scarcity as communication had been cut off since the clashes between SEZ protestors and ruling party activists began two months ago.

The court also directed the government to restore ferry services on the Haldi river, which remained suspended for over a month because of the violence which claimed 14 lives.

However, the court was not satisfied with Advocate General (AG) Balai Roy's 'status report' on Nandigram submitted before it as the hearing began this morning.

The court stated that the government had failed to mention the report regarding the steps to bring back law and order in the village, affected by disturbances since authorities issued notices for acquisition of agricultural land toset up a SEZ there.

The bench asked the AG to file the government's statement on its plan not to set up the SEZ in the village.

The high court issued the ruling after Mr Roy said during the hearing that the government had decided to drop its plan on SEZ in Nandigram, about 130 km from here.

Praying for a judicial enquiry into March 14 firing in Nandigram, he also told the court that the government could have deployed police to restore law and order in the village but it feared such an act would cause more bloodshed, thereby aggravating the problem.

The HC Bar Association opposed the government's prayer for a judicial inquiry and told the court that only a CBI probe could throw light on the causes behind the March 14 massacre.

UNI