Update: Tata closes down Singur facility, to build a new one in Gujrat

[Ram]

By Amitabha Bhattasali BBC News, Calcutta Tata Motors has threatened to pull out of West Bengal state where it is building a factory to roll out the world's cheapest car, Nano. Opposition groups have been protesting violently for over two years, accusing the state government of taking 997 acres of farmland at Singur by force. In January, a court dismissed claims that land was acquired illegally. The Nano car, priced at $2,500, was unveiled by industrialist Ratan Tata earlier this year. The building of the Nano factory is well under way. The Tata group was aiming to start selling the car in mid-2008, but it has been delayed because of the protests. West Bengal's Marxist government is trying to attract investment to rejuvenate the state's ailing economy. 'Not conducive' "We are deeply concerned about the violence, disruption and the safety of our employees, equipment and investments at the project site," chairman of the group Ratan Tata told reporters in the state capital, Calcutta. "Obviously it is not a conducive atmosphere. The compound wall has been broken down, materials stolen. We cannot operate a plant with police protection. If this happens even before we start production, then what would happen later?" Mr Tata asked. Recently, several engineers and workers at the factory were threatened by opposition groups after which most of the workers fled and the construction work almost came to a halt. "It is for the people of West Bengal and Calcutta to decide whether we are unwanted, or to accept us as a good corporate citizen. If we are unwanted here, then we would have to make a move," he said. Tata Motors has already invested 15 billion rupees ($38m) in the small car project. "Whatever be the cost, we will move out if the situation demands so," he said. The opposition Trinamul Congress party which is heading the protests against the project says the state government has acquired farmland by force. The party is insisting that the company return 400 acres of land earmarked for ancillary units to farmers who are not willing to part with their land. The company says it is necessary to keep the ancillary units in the same location to keep the costs low. With the state government refusing to accept the opposition's demands, a deadlock has been created leading to a rise in tension and violence in the project area. Trinamul leader Mamata Banerjee has said they would go ahead with their planned sit-in protests around the Tata factory from Sunday. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7576851.stm --------------------- *sigh*

[Lurker]

Yeah terrible. I sincerely hope TATA moves it to some other state. Hopefully that should teach the West Bengal politicians some lessons..although I wont bet on it.

[Ram]

These politicians should be tried for treason. Can there any more shameless souls around? The same Mamta Banerjee, as Railway Minister, would have sanctioned 1000s of crores worth of railway of projects. And God knows how many of those projects involved displacement of people and farm-land. Where was her social activism then? If there is ONE women politician that I truly abhor, its her. Trinamool Congress will go to any extents just to cause roadlocks for the WB govt, whatever its costs may be.

[Guest dada_rocks]

Will have to give it to TATA he chose WB despite knowing that due to years of communism it's not going to be easy setting up such a huge industrial plant. HE coudl easily have placed this in Gujarat without any hiccups but poor guy wanted to help WB economy lying in abyss.

[beetle]

West Bengal doesn't deserve Tata.The guy tries to do good only to be bled by $%^@ politicians. He should cut his loses and leave that state and let it rot.

[gs]

The comrades have won in WB!!! :giggle:

[beetle]

Is Tata making a quiet exit? Tata Motors has quietly started shifting materials out of the Singur project site, said senior West Bengal bureaucrats. They claim the company has been taking dyes and components out of Singur to an undisclosed site. According to sources, it started on September 16 and was complete by September 19. Initially, the shifting was carried out at night, but later the firm shed all secrecy. Besides dyes, components for a few hundred cars have reportedly been shifted out, but when asked, a Tata Motors spokesperson offered a terse “No comments”. Company officials, when confronted by government officials, however, said the dyes were being shifted to a location where they “could be put to use.” The shifting of dyes was greeted with alarm as dyes are used in press shops to make designated car parts. If dyes are taken out, it points to a simple fact – the company is not envisaging production at the site. The Tata Motors management is also reluctant to import machineries required for Nano at Singur. It is learnt that the company has already asked various agencies not to supply machineries to Singur. A senior official of the commerce and industry department said the Tatas have asked the agencies to supply the machineries only to the Pune and Uttarakhand plants. The machinery supply to Singur has been suspended for an indefinite period. The official said, “This is clear indication that there is 95 per cent chance of pulling out the small car project from Bengal.” Government sources also said the materials have been moved out of the main gate. Though the Tatas haven't yet formally announced the decision to pull out, they’ve been making all sorts of overtures suggestive of a withdrawal. However, company’s managing director Ravi Kant has confirmed that they were exploring other sites. The shifting of materials, therefore, didn't come as a surprise to government officials, who have now come to accept the situation. While for the past few weeks almost every effort of the Tatas and the government had been directed towards mounting pressure on Mamata Banerjee, the shifting move will surely add to the pressure on her to call off stir. http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=f44c2b39-86a0-4029-b8c7-b6b7e9dd83b4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :two_thumbs_up:cheers Ratan Tata...don't let that obstinate cow toy with your dreams. Every second state in the country is waiting for you to come and start the plant in their state. Cut your losses.....short term losses but long term gain and you get work on your own terms.

[punjabi_khota]

Is Tata making a quiet exit? Tata Motors has quietly started shifting materials out of the Singur project site, said senior West Bengal bureaucrats. They claim the company has been taking dyes and components out of Singur to an undisclosed site. According to sources, it started on September 16 and was complete by September 19. Initially, the shifting was carried out at night, but later the firm shed all secrecy. Besides dyes, components for a few hundred cars have reportedly been shifted out, but when asked, a Tata Motors spokesperson offered a terse “No commentsâ€. Company officials, when confronted by government officials, however, said the dyes were being shifted to a location where they “could be put to use.†The shifting of dyes was greeted with alarm as dyes are used in press shops to make designated car parts. If dyes are taken out, it points to a simple fact – the company is not envisaging production at the site. The Tata Motors management is also reluctant to import machineries required for Nano at Singur. It is learnt that the company has already asked various agencies not to supply machineries to Singur. A senior official of the commerce and industry department said the Tatas have asked the agencies to supply the machineries only to the Pune and Uttarakhand plants. The machinery supply to Singur has been suspended for an indefinite period. The official said, “This is clear indication that there is 95 per cent chance of pulling out the small car project from Bengal.†Government sources also said the materials have been moved out of the main gate. Though the Tatas haven't yet formally announced the decision to pull out, they’ve been making all sorts of overtures suggestive of a withdrawal. However, company’s managing director Ravi Kant has confirmed that they were exploring other sites. The shifting of materials, therefore, didn't come as a surprise to government officials, who have now come to accept the situation. While for the past few weeks almost every effort of the Tatas and the government had been directed towards mounting pressure on Mamata Banerjee, the shifting move will surely add to the pressure on her to call off stir. http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=f44c2b39-86a0-4029-b8c7-b6b7e9dd83b4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- :two_thumbs_up:cheers Ratan Tata...don't let that obstinate cow toy with your dreams. Every second state in the country is waiting for you to come and start the plant in their state. Cut your losses.....short term losses but long term gain and you get work on your own terms.

Isn't it spelt "dies" ?

[beetle]

yes...even I think it should be dies.....

[beetle]

National Singur impasse overshadows Durga Puja celebration Kolkata (PTI): The impasse over the land acquisition controversy on Tata motor's small car manufacturing project in Singur has cast a shadow over the festive spirit in the city ahead of Durga Puja scheduled to begin next month. People from various walks, including artists and filmmakers, feel dejected fearing the ongoing protests over the issue could affect the celebrations during the festival season. Wishing to change the situation through his wand, famous magician P C Sorcar (Jr) said "we want a quick settlement for the differences between the two sides before Ma Durga arrives. This is a time to rejoice." The wizard, who has in the past made the Taj Mahal disappeared, said "if possible, I would have conjured up a solution so that everyone return home with a smile but miracles don't occur in real life". Describing the situation "frustrating", film-maker Goutam Ghose said "There has been all around degeneration in Bengal politics with muscle power manifesting. Have you not seen how even our festivals are dominated by lumpen elements?" "Singur signifies the malady which stalks Bengal. It is a tale of intolerance and muscle power. I am not sure if the problem will be resolved quickly," he added. Popular Bengali film-maker Tarun Majumder said the controversy is a "sad prelude to Durga Puja" which is the biggest festival in the region. "This is the time for everyone to look forward. Why can't it be the same this year? Majumder asked. Blaming politicians for not finding solution, the veteran filmmaker said "all such disruptions, agitations and disturbances would have gone if there were no elections for 20 years. I am saying this out of frustration." http://www.hinduonnet.com/holnus/002200809231441.htm

[CC1981]

The comrades have won in WB!!! :giggle:

Do you twits have any idea of whats going on instead of blabbing away in the typical closeminded rant-mode ??? The comrades have won ?!? Its the comrades, you damn fool, who gave the land to TATA and are pushing tooth and nail to get this going. It is the congressi-bjp alliance (trinamool congress), led by mamata banerjee- possibly the most heartless woman politics has ever known- that has been fighting tooth and nail to block the deal, inciting violence, making idiotic speeches about farmers, etc etc. So how the eff is it 'comrades have won' ??!?!? Some of you folks would go any length just to score brownie points/steriotype baselessly.

[beetle]

Security guard at Tata plant in Singur assaulted A private security guard at the Tata Motors plant in Singur in West Bengal was assaulted by a group of unidentified men, police said on Tuesday. Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia said, "The miscreants attacked the guard on Monday night. Some people at the site chased them away but could not get hold of them.” There has been no work at the troubled plant - planned to build the world's cheapest car Nano - since local farmers backed by the opposition Trinamool Congress laid siege to it on August 24. http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/FullcoverageStoryPage.aspx?sectionName=&id=cdd8e7ea-4493-4b73-bca7-2485b04b59f7Tata-Singurrow_Special&&Headline=Miscreants+attack+guard+at+Tata%26nbsp%3bplant

[Ram]

What a mess! The Tatas must be kicking themselves for having chosen WB... But in retrospect, you really cannot blame the govt too much. Its the opposition parties, led by the shamless Mamta Banerjee, that spearheaded the campaign.

[jf1gp_1]

It is likely that Pantnagar plant will grow, new states like uttarakhand really really need something this big going for them. So more power to Mamta, please make sure Nano plant is not setup in WB.

[Rajiv]

..that mamta is still around, didn't she die yet? all that fasting

[beetle]

She is fatter than ever before!:hysterical:

[beetle]

Cloud over other projects As the state government prepared itself to watch the Tatas pull out from Singur, Alimuddin Street mandarins were going through worse. CPI-M leaders now fear that Ratan Tata may think twice before going ahead with his other two upcoming projects — a cancer hospital and centre for frontier research at Rajarhat and a heavy vehicles factory near Kharagpur. In February 2006, CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee laid the foundation stone of the hospital. The Tatas announced plans to invest Rs 120 crore and reserve 50 per cent of the beds for the underprivileged. The government allotted 10 acres and it was said that work would be complete by December 2007. A Tata Group spokesperson told the Hindustan Times on Monday that during his last visit to Kolkata, group chairman Ratan Tata told his officers that work for the hospital should start by March 2009. In 2006 a Tata team visited Guptamani on NH6 to look for a site for the heavy vehicles plant. The requirement was something around 1000 acres, the same amount acquired by the government at Singur. A Tata spokesperson said the company later decided to set up the plant near Kharagur reportedly in collaboration with a foreign company. CPI-M leaders are now afraid Tatas may feel that the Opposition will place obstacle before every big project of the Tata group. The chief minister has also told his party that he received a clear signal from Ratan Tata that he will not start any project if there is political turmoil. http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=4ee9f897-f8bf-4dee-8ced-ab98224a6768&ParentID=3eecb46a-8ef4-4264-9c64-e4ca907c75a8&&Headline=Cloud+over+other+projects Such a big loss because of one unstable woman. It is WBs misfortune that she decided to take on Tatas.Any other company would have just paid her more than what she is probably getting from the people actually behind the whole thing. The people who will suffer because of Nano. This woman is probably one of the most hated person in India. So many people are waiting with their savings to buy this 1 lakh car.

[The Outsider]

It's amazing the clout certain politicians can have because of their rouge behviour despite the fact that her part has never and will never be able to get more than 10 seats in the parliament.

[punjabi_khota]

Somehow, all the self-made women politicians in India seem like total *****es to me. Is it requirement of the trade ? Mamta, Jayalalitha and especially Mayawati.

[PaiN_KiLLeR]

I feel really sad for Ratan Tata. This project was supposed to be his crowning glory but it is not even getting underway. The Tata's must have thought they would face no problem in W.B once they had the backing of the government which wins every election by a landslide, but any Party with the support of a few thousand people can stall any project in India. Lefties got a taste of their own medicine though. Really happy about that. Satyam & DLF have cancelled their multi-crore projects in W.B post Singur. More Co's to follow suit ...