The Hindu : National : Villagers raise slogans against car company

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Friday, May 26, 2006

National

National

Villagers raise slogans against car company

Special Correspondent

Ratan Tata announced setting up of a car plant here last week

Kolkata: Some villagers, including farmers in Singur, in West Bengal's Hooghly district raised slogans and staged a demonstration when a group of Tata Motors officials visited the area on Thursday.

The officials were inspecting possible sites for the setting up of the company's proposed Rs. 1000-crore car manufacturing plant.

The villagers expressed fears of displacement in the event of their lands being acquired by the State for establishing the project.

The team of officials was accompanied by representatives of the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation.

Later, State's Industries Minister Nirupam Sen said that some slogans were raised by a group of apprehensive villagers and that their anxiety would be addressed. The administration will meet with people's representatives on Saturday to discuss their problems. The announcement to set up the plant was made by Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Sons, in the presence of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee here last week. Tata Motors plans to manufacture small cars costing Rs. 1 lakh. The plant is expected to create jobs for about 10,000 people.

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