KOLKATA: Fresh violence broke out in the trouble-torn Nandigram area on Tuesday even as the West Bengal Government was preparing to send there a "large" contingent of security forces. Sporadic clashes broke out between activists of the Trinamool Congress-led Krishi Jami Raksha (Save Farmland) Committee, which is opposing the setting up of a chemical hub in the area, and supporters of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Also roads leading to some villages were dug up afresh.

The situation was reviewed at a meeting of senior State and police officials convened by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee here.

The State administration has expressed its determination to check the growing lawlessness in the area, sparked by group clashes which claimed six lives on January 6-7. Since then many parts of Nandigram have remained inaccessible, with roads having been dug up and trees uprooted.

Home Secretary Prasad Roy said mobilisation of forces was completed and they would be dispatched to Nandigram shortly.

Statement sought

In the Assembly, Trinamool and Congress members demanded a statement from the Chief Minister on the Government's stand on restoring peace at Nandigram. They charged it with being apathetic to the developments there.

Earlier in the day, the Trinamool members walked out briefly as Speaker H.A. Halim turned down their demand that the Chief Minister make a statement on the alleged attack on the party activists at Chandipur thana in the Nandigram area.

Leader of the Opposition Partha Chatterjee alleged that the Government was not only responsible for the unabated harassment of people at Nandigram but was also preventing Opposition workers from carrying out relief work.

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