HC wraps up hearing on Tata motors unit at Singur

Kolkata, Nov 26 (UNI) A two-judge bench of Calcutta High Court today wrapped up the hearing on acquisition of agricultural land in Singur by the West Bengal government for Tata Motor's small car project.

The bench heard the PIL for 32 days filed by Laywer's Right Watch Group and some other city based organisations.

Counsel Siddhartha Shankar Roy, appearing on the last day of the hearing before the bench, cited the Supreme Court's ruling on acquisition of agricultural land and argued that the state government could not acquire any land without the farmer's consent.

However, Advocate General Balai Ray argued that the state authorities were acquiring land in public interest and the apex court's ruling was not against the acquisition.

The government had acquired nearly 1000 acre of land for Tata's project at Singur, 35 km from here, despite, widespread protest by the peasants there.

The police and a section of the villagers had clashed occasionally over erection of boundary walls for the factory since then.

UNI