Rakesh Bhatnagar

Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to stay a Calcutta High Court judgment that upheld the West Bengal government’s acquisition of land in Singur for Tata Motors’ small-car facility.

But the court issued notices to the state government, Tata Motors and the Union government on a set of appeals challenging the HC verdict.

The judges said they would hear the appeals in July after receiving responses on various points raised by the petitioner Kedar Nath Yadav.

Since the court hasn’t stayed the HC judgment, there is no legal restriction on Tata Motors for going ahead with the small-car plant.

Yadav and some farmers argued that the West Bengal government had snatched away their right to livelihood and shelter by acquiring 1,000 acres of land for setting up of Special Economic Zone by the Tatas.

The state government said the entire land has been taken over after paying compensation in 2005. On the other hand, the farmers’ counsel argued that the government and the company identified the land after a two-year long survey.

While the state government maintains that the acquisition had been done in public interest, the aggrieved farmers contest this claim saying acquisition was only in the company’s interest.

Yadav’s petition said the acquisition of fertile multi-crop agricultural land by the state government in various parts of West Bengal for the Nano project, Indonesia’s Salim Group in Haldia and Reliance group violates farmers’ rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

Tata Motors has spent over Rs 700 crore on the ambitious car project.

Source : DNA