Singur verdict indicates incorrect land acquisition procedure

The Supreme Court verdict on Singur land acquisition today indicated that adoption of incorrect procedure for the purpose had led to protest by locals there and prompted shifting of the Tata Motors Ltd (TML) project, which was part of an effort aimed at tackling unemployment in West Bengal.
The apex court in its judgement noted the list of ventures and investments that would have come in and around Singur if the acquisition of land was done by following the inquiry as contemplated under the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act by the Land Acquisition Collector (LAC).
Further, a bench of Justices V Gopala Gowda and Arun Mishra, also held that the LAC has not assigned reasons in his report for rejecting the objections raised by the landowners/ cultivators and the decisions were taken to reject the objections without application of mind.

In the beginning of the judgement, the bench traced the sequence of events which started with the formulation of an industrial policy by the state government to set up automobile industries in West Bengal to cater to the needs of the people and solve the problem of unemployment there.
It noted that Tata Motors Ltd (TML) participated in discussions with the State Government regarding infrastructural needs of the project and proposed for 1000 acres of land out of which 75 per cent would be for it and 25 per cent for vendor park with power and water facilities.
TML had also sought allotment of land for schooling free of cost and for a township at half the rate of factory land.

The record note of discussion between all parties showed that the project was looking at a direct investment of Rs 650 crore in the plant and machinery and IT infrastructure by TML. Besides this, the company would have also invested Rs 176 crore in factory building, Rs 150 crore in township in Singur.
Record showed that the employment potential of this project was assessed at 1,800 employees in direct employment by TML and 4,700 employees through vendors and service providers.
Later, when the locals of the area started protesting against the land acquisition and setting up of the factory and several incidents of blockade, protests and violence were reported, TML informed the state police in November 2008, that it was suspending its operations and relocated its plant to Sanad in Gujarat.