Kolkata: "Land is not being given to anyone free [of cost]," veteran Marxist leader Jyoti Basu said here on Friday referring to the handing over of land by the West Bengal Government to Tata Motors for their proposed plant at Singur in Hooghly district.

He said that he was not aware of the terms and conditions for the handing over of land and could not comment on it. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Industries Minister Nirupam Sen were looking into it "and their discussions with the Tata Motors management were in the final stage," Mr Basu said.

A decision would have to be taken within the next few days as the matter would have to referred to the Assembly "for the necessary legislation" in November.

Mr. Bhattacharjee reiterated that the Tata plant would be set up at Singur. "We are doing all we can to see that the project comes up at Singur," he said.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has sought a meeting of the Left Front constituents for a discussion on the terms and conditions being drawn up by the Government for the handing over of land to Tata Motors.

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