New land acquisition law needed: CPI(M)

KOLKATA: The impasse prevailing over the Tata motor's small car manufacturing plant in Singur could have been avoided if a new land acquisition law would have been put in place, CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury said on Monday.
    
The existing land acquisition law dates back to 1894 and his party has been fighting for an all India law on land acquisition for the last four years, Yechury said during an interactive session with the members of the Merchant Chamber of Commerce here.
    
"If there had been one law, the problems would not have surfaced," Yechury said referring to the controversy at Singur and Raigad.
   
The CPI(M) leader, however, hoped that the issue will be resolved soon through discussions.
    
"Most likely there will be an all party meeting and I hope some solution would come. And, if not, the government will have to take a decision keeping the law of the land in mind," he said.
    
Yechury said West Bengal has only one per cent fallow land against the national average of 17 per cent and there was no option left with the state government if it wanted industrialisation.