Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Singur’s big question: How by Sanjay Mandal and Uttam Dutta

Singur’s big question: How by Sanjay Mandal and Uttam Dutta

Share this article Share this article
published Published on May 22, 2011   modified Modified on May 22, 2011
The initial euphoria over the chance of getting back their land over, clouds of apprehension and confusion now hang over Singur.

The farmers whose land was acquired for the Tata Nano project celebrated on May 13 when Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamul Congress won the elections. They were glued to their TV sets when the chief minister announced yesterday that she would make good her promise of returning 400 acres to “unwilling” farmers.

But gradually, the “reality” that the process may not be simple started sinking in.

“We will be very happy if we get back our land but we are simple farmers and don’t understand legal issues. The only thing we know is that such complicated legal matters take years to get resolved,” said Joydeb Ghosh, 65, of Singur’s Gopalnagar village. Joydeb, whose 12.5-bigha plot was acquired, said the compensation of Rs 35 lakh was “too paltry”.

Susanta Ghosh, who lives in the same village, said he was “confused” over a lot of issues. “Many of us used to own small patches of land scattered over the entire area. How can we get back all the fragmented patches?” he asked. Susanta’s 13-bigha land was acquired for the project but he had refused to accept compensation.

Several of the unwilling farmers said they wanted back the same plots that had been taken and “not just any random plot”. Susanta said those who owned land beside the Durgapur Expressway “would not settle for a plot away from the highway and in the interiors”.

According to land dealers, a bigha of land near the expressway costs about Rs 30 lakh while a bigha in the interiors of Singur costs about Rs 15 lakh. “We did not protest the previous government’s move to forcibly acquire our land only to settle for something that will hurt our interests,” said Sourav Ghosh, another “unwilling” farmer. His five plots, all of which had been acquired, lie in the area where the abandoned small car plant now stands.

Manashi Manna of Beraberi village demanded that her three-bigha plot be returned in its “original fertile state”.

“A warehouse has been built on my land. Even if I get back my land, I won’t be able to grow crops on it,” she said. “The produce from the land was enough to sustain our family. But now, I have been forced to bind bidis while my husband works as a labourer on somebody else’s field,” Manashi added.

Dwarka Ghosh, who lives in the same village, said: “It is impossible for poor farmers like us to bear the cost of removing the layers of concrete from our land and make it arable again. Even if we do that, the land won’t be fit for cultivation for at least five to seven years.”

“Now if I get back my land, I’ll sell it off to promoters,” Dwarka, whose 2.5-bigha plot had been acquired, said.

Many villagers said they had “faith” in Mamata. “She will sort out all our problems,” said Krishna Bag, whose three-bigha plot was taken away.

The Telegraph, 22 May, 2011, http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110522/jsp/bengal/story_14014061.jsp


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close