Bengal passes ordinance for reclaiming 400 acres at Singur

The West Bengal government has passed an ordinance for reclaiming 400 acres of land at Tata Motors' abandoned site at Singur for returning to unwilling farmers, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said today.

Governor MK Narayanan has signed the ordinance, she said and described it as a historic day for the people of Singur.

The ordinance would be placed in the next session of assembly for passage.

"We are happy at the ordinance. The rest 600 acres will be kept open for industry... The Tatas can set up industry if they want," Banerjee, who had fasted for 26 days demanding return of the land, said.

"If they (Tata) demand compensation without going in for industry on this 600 acres, we will give them compensation through legal means by appointing an arbitrator," she added.

The decision to return 400 acres to unwilling farmers at Singur was taken in the first cabinet meeting of the government the day Banerjee assumed office on May 20.

"We were committed to the people of Singur to return the 400 acres to the unwilling farmers and we took the decision in our first cabinet meeting," she said.

To a question, she said the state government would consult local MLAs as to how to return the 400 acres.