Relocating ancillary units will solve problem: Mamata

8220;There is a one line solution. Everything will be settled if the ancillary units are relocated to the land on the opposite side of the small car unit,8221; Banerjee said from her dharna platform, a day after Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi sent her a letter asking her to call off the eight-day long stir.

Sticking to her demand that 400 acres of the land acquired for the small car project be returned to the 8220;unwilling farmers8221;, she said the plant could come up on 600 acres site. 8220;In that case both industry and agriculture will smile,8221; she said.

But West Bengal Industry Minister Nirupam Sen said, while quoting a ruling from the Supreme Court, 8220;The way Mamata Banerjee is demanding, it is impossible for the state Government to meet her demand. Legally, it is not possible to return the land acquired under the Land Acquisition Act.8221;

8220;The issue was also taken to the Calcutta High Court and it said land acquisition was as per law,8221; he said, adding that there were no legal provisions to return the land once acquired by the Government under the acquisition law.

Meanwhile, describing the Singur issue as a 8216;deep-rooted8217; problem, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday said the Centre was not in a position to take any initiative to end the deadlock as it was a matter related to the West Bengal Government.

8220;It is a deep-rooted problem. Who will invest in which state is a matter between the state Government and the investor. Since it is a matter concerning the state, it is not possible for the Centre to take any initiative on this issue,8221; Mukherjee told reporters here when asked if the Centre had any role here to end the Singur stalemate.

In an obvious reference to the Tatas8217; small car, Mukherjee said, 8220;The Centre is always in favour of new technology.8221;

8220;We want industrialisation. At the same time we have to protect the interests of the farmers. We have to raise food production. We have to strike a balance,8221; he said.

Mukherjee said state Congress president P R Dasmunsi had on Saturday made the party line clear on the Singur issue. Dasmunsi had stated that the Tatas should not withdraw their small car project from Singur and the state Government provide alternate land to 8216;unwilling8217; farmers.

8220;We are opposed to the shift of investment made in Singur and industry to other states,8221; Dasmunsi said and reiterated that the Centre would not take any responsibility in bailing out West Bengal on the issue.