The Hindu : National : Land-use pattern map getting ready in West Bengal

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Thursday, Oct 26, 2006
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Land-use pattern map getting ready in West Bengal

Special Correspondent

Buddhadeb urged to take decisions only after map is ready

Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee

KOLKATA: Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has been requested by the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Industries and Commerce of the West Bengal Assembly, Sudip Bandhopadhyay, that future decisions on setting up industries be taken only after the map specifying land-use patterns in the State is completed.

This comes in the wake of objections by the main Opposition parties to the proposed setting up of the Tata Motors plant at Singur in Hooghly district on the ground that farmland is being acquired for the project. The land acquisition process by the State authorities is nearing completion.

An updated land-use map is being prepared by the Land Use Board set up by the State Government and is expected to be completed by the start of the winter session of the Assembly on November 17.

Speaking to The Hindu here on Tuesday Mr. Bandhopadhyay, a senior Congress leader, said the 10-member standing committee was planning a visit to Pune following an invitation by Ravi Kant, managing director, Tata Motors, to see the community development work taken up there by the company in the area where one of its plants was located.

Mr. Bhattacharjee, who has been apprised of the invitation, has suggested that the committee accept it as it would provide an opportunity to inspect social development work being undertaken by industrialists in areas where they have units, Mr. Bandhopadhyay said.

The invitation came as a reply to a letter sent by Mr. Bandhopadhyay to Ratan Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group, seeking a clarification on the decision to set up an automobile plant at Singur. The Opposition parties' concern over the land acquisition process there had been conveyed to him.

The committee will meet on October 27 to finalise its plans for the visit.

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