Work at Tata Motors stalled for fourth day

Singur/Kolkata, Sep 01 (UNI) Work remained suspended in the Tata Motors Nano car project for the fourth day today as the stalemate continued in Singur following Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee's refusal to call off her indefinite dharna.

''The condition is still not conducive for resuming work. We are assessing the situation closely,'' Tata Motors authorities said.

A week after the Tatas threatened to pull out from Singur with the project, the company declared an indefinite shutdown in work on August 29 awaiting improvement in the situation.

Ms banerjee, who has been leading a ''lay-seige'' programme since August 24 demanding that 400 acres of the project site be returned to the ''unwilling farmers'', refused to relent even after Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi made an appeal to participate in a third party negotiation to solve the problem.

Reiterating that the land cannot be returned, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee yesterday said an agreement on proper rehabilitation of land-losers could only resolve the tangle.

As Ms Banerjee remained adamant with her demand, the ruling Left Front agreed at a meeting yesterday on convening an all-party meet to mobilise support in its favour for pushing ahead with the small car project.

Ms Banerjee yesterday said her party was ready for talks with the government but insisted on having an assurance for return of 400 acres of land from the Tata's car project.

She said this after return of a 16-member delegation that had called on the Governor at Raj Bhawan in Kolkata.

She said the party would decide about the persons representing her side in such discussions if at all held. She said only those associated with the movement would be selected for talks with the government.

''The indefinite dharna will continue unless a solution is reached,'' she reiterated.

She informed that a 500-acre low lying land opposite to the Tata project on the other side of the highway could serve as an alternative site for setting up ancillary industry for the Nano plant, after returning the 400 acres of land.

UNI KDG DPM SS1146