Tatas want to retain Singur land,says will return to Bengal for expansion

The response came in reply to a query of the SC on the last date of hearing as to whether the automobile firm was willing to relinquish its claims over the 997-acre land,allotted to it by the then Left Front government,since the company had already moved its car plant to Gujarat.

Salve told the court that the Nano car project was progressing in a phased manner and once the environment is peaceful in Singur,the company may go back to start new projects there. Besides,the entire infrastructure and set-up of vendors are still in Singur, he said,adding that the company cannot give up the land. He said it will be difficult for Tata Motors to get such a big piece of land anywhere else for its operations to continue.

Responding to Tatas stand,the counsel for West Bengal said it would urge that the land be returned to farmers.

The Bench said since the company wanted to retain the land,it will have to decide on the states plea on merits and fixed the case for final hearing in April next year. The court was hearing a special leave petition filed by West Bengal government challenging quashing of the Singur Land Acquisition Act by the High Court.