Date:20/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/20/stories/2007072060081100.htm

National

Attempt made to damage Singur project wall

Special Correspondent

Security measures increased

KOLKATA: Trouble broke outside the Tata Motors automobile manufacturing project site at Singur in West Bengal’s Hooghly district on Thursday morning when the police tried to foil a move by activists of the Trinamool Congress-led Krishi Jami Raksha [Save Farmland] Committee to break down the wall alongside the site.

The police had to burst several rounds of tear gas shells when they were attacked with stones while trying to disperse the Committee’s supporters who had gathered in the Khaserbheri area of Singur with the purpose of tearing down a section of the wall.

Though a spokesman of the Committee said its supporters had been successful in damaging a portion of the wall the police refuted the claim. Security in the area has been strengthened.

There have been earlier incidents when activists have tried to damage the 12 km-long wall since construction work for the project started in February.

“Work is continuing in full swing and as per schedule. The first lot of automobiles to be manufactured in the plant are expected to be ready before June 2008”, the State’s Director Industries, M.V. Rao, told The Hindu. Nearly 95 per cent of the piling work for the setting up of the plant and other facilities have been completed, he added.

Committee led local villagers have been threatening to pull down the wall unless land claimed to have been forcibly acquired for the project is returned to the owners.