Tata Motors to relocate Nano from Singur

Kolkata, Sep 2 (UNI) Falling victim to political movement, Tata Motors today announced to relocate its Nano plant from Singur and roll out the world's cheapest car from an alternate facility.

''The company is evaluating alternate options for manufacturing the Nano car at other company facilities and a detailed plan to relocate the plant and machinery to an alternate site is under preparation,'' a Tata Motors spokesperson said.

The company, which indefinitely stopped work at the Singur project on August 29 following a 'lay-siege' programme by Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, also officially announced suspension of work.

''The situation around the Nano plant continues to be hostile and intimidating. There is no way this plant could operate efficiently unless the environment becomes congenial and supportive of the project,'' the spokesperson said.

Describing the Tatas' move as 'unfortunate', state Industry Minister Nirupam Sen held the Opposition responsible for it.

''Today is a sad day for us. It is ominous for the state...we could not think that the Opposition could have been so irresponsible,'' he said.

However, seemingly unfazed, Ms Banerjee said she did not have much to comment on it. ''It is absolutely an internal and technical matter of the Tatas. We do not have any comment on it,'' she said.

''It is not desirable that somebody leaves the state. But nothing can be done at the cost of the farmers' tears,'' she opined.

Ms Banerjee had been spearheading an indefinite dharna near the Tata Motors' plant since August 24 demanding that 400 out of the total 997 acre of the project land be returned to farmers, who were allegedly forced to party with their plots.

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