The West Bengal government on Friday started an official survey of the 997 acres of land acquired by the former Left Front government for the small-car project of Tata Motors. The Supreme Court had directed that the land be returned to farmers from whom the land had been acquired.
The District Magistrate, the Superintendent of Police and officials of the State Land Department started measuring the land after it was cleared of bushes and weeds. Camera-fitted drones were deployed for the survey.
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The Supreme Court order mandates that the physical possession of land should be given back to the farmers. While the first two weeks have been fixed for land survey, another four weeks will be required for field survey to identify land belonging to each of the farmers and match it with records.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the government would follow the Supreme Court order in letter and spirit, and hand over possession of land to the farmers in 12 weeks as directed by the Supreme Court. For farmers who did not accept compensation from the Left Front government, relief will be provided in 12 weeks.
Kolkata Mayor Sovon Chatterjee said the city’s civic body was ready to help with equipment and manpower so as to make the land suitable for agriculture before being handed back to farmers in time.
Singur Divas observed
The ruling Trinamool Congress observed Singur Divas across the State on Friday to mark the culmination of the 10-year struggle against forcible land acquisition. While a procession was held at the Singur market under the leadership of Trinamool block president Becharam Manna, senior party leaders, including Mukul Roy and Dola Sen, MPs, were present at another event at Baraberi village, which has been affected by land acquisition. Trinamool MLAs also gathered in the Assembly to observe the event.
“It is a historic day. We pay our respects to the brave people of Singur who stood up against an autocratic regime,” State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee said, offering tributes at a memorial.
Mr. Chatterjee went on to compare the Singur movement to the Jallianwalah Bagh massacre, and said the former too would find its place in the history.
Part of school syllabus
Mr. Chatterjee, who holds the State’s Education portfolio, said the Bengal government was keen on including the Singur movement in the school syllabus. Explaining why, the Minister said: “It is the movement of poor farmers whose fertile land was taken away for setting up industry. Students must know about it.”
Chairperson of the school syllabus committee, Avik Majumdar, also expressed his agreement to the proposal for the inclusion in syllabus. “Though I am yet to receive any official communication, I feel the Singur movement was a landmark in many ways. The movement, spearheaded by Mamata Banerjee, has become an extension of India’s freedom movement.” Mr. Majumdar said.
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