Govt rein on projects

The Telegraph

A STAFF REPORTER

Calcutta, March 20: Wiser after the police firing at Nandigram, the state government today reiterated its decision to “go slow” in its drive to acquire land for industry and other projects. “We are in no hurry. We will first try to make people understand the reason why we are acquiring the land. For this, we have already had all-party meetings at various places. Our priority is to take everybody into confidence before acquiring land for industry,” Bengal urban development minister Asok Bhattacharya said at Writers’ Buildings. Official sources said chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has given necessary instructions to all departments in this regard. Bhattacharya said his department would “go slow” on acquiring land for three upcoming projects at Siliguri, Dankuni and Baruipur. About 5,600 acres are required for the projects — 300 acres at Siliguri, 500 acres at Baruipur and 4,800 acres at Dankuni. According to Bhattacharya, around 100 families will be displaced for the township project about 5 km from Siliguri. The project is coming up on fallow land, he said. The Siliguri project, in which Rs 2,500 crore will be invested, is a joint venture between the state government and Bengal Unitech. The township will include a health city, a computer centre, hotels and a regional centre of the Sports Authority of India. Bhattacharya said the government would provide high compensation to those who will be displaced. About 50,000 people from low- and high-income groups will be accommodated in the new township. The government will give 2 cottahs to those who will be displaced and provide free education to those below the poverty line. The project is expected to be completed by 2012. “The land acquisition process will start in the next two months. An all-party meeting has been convened this month to discuss the matter,” Bhattacharya said. Land is already being acquired at Baruipur, where the government plans to construct the headquarters of South 24-Parganas district. “We convened several all-party meetings to discuss land acquisition. However, Trinamul Congress members did not attend them. So, we have convened another meeting,” the minister said. The township project at Dankuni, to be developed by the Delhi-based DLF, will require an investment of Rs 33,000 crore. The government will soon start acquiring land after talks with various political parties.