Singur:
The West Bengal government today set the process of formal handover of land to unwilling farmers in Singur in motion by issuing a notice inviting applications for alternative plots of land.
Hooghly DM Sripriya Rangarajan issued the notice which asked unwilling land-owners, whose names featured in the schedule prepared by the government in accordance with the Singur Land and Rehabilitation and Development Act, 2011, to apply for alternative plots of equal quantum owned by them inside the project area.
Forms are being distributed at the Singur BDO office by employees of the Block Land Registration Office, the DM said.
Two days ago, Tata Motors Ltd had pleaded before the Calcutta High Court for a workable solution for status quo in any further work on Singur land, which had been vested by the state government, till the case is heard out.
Appearing for Tata Motors Ltd, counsel Samaraditya Pal submitted before Justice Soumitra Pal that since it had lost possession of land at Singur, for such time that the court hears the petition, status quo be maintained.
Pal prayed that a workable solution be arrived at to ensure status quo at Singur where 997 acres of land was acquired for the Tata Motor's Nano plant and ancillary units.
Eventually the plant was shifted to Gujarat in October, 2008.