Singur verdict: Farmers will get back land within court set time-frame, says Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: A day after the Supreme Court’s verdict on Singur, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said the farmers will get back their land within the time-frame set by the apex court. [caption id=“attachment_2986752” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Mamata Banerjee. PTI[/caption] “It was a landmark judgment. We will follow the order of the court line-by-line,” she said. “Instructions have been issued to start the land survey from Friday. Everyone will get back their land. Our intention is to honour the court verdict within the time limit,” Banerjee told reporters after an emergency meeting called to formulate the strategy for implementing the SC order. The land survey will be done in two weeks’ time. A field survey will be done in four weeks’ time after which physical possession of the land will be handed over to the farmers. she said. During the survey, at least one state minister would be present at the spot throughout. Banerjee said those, who were forced to give land to the government but did not accept the compensation will now get both the money and the land, while those who accepted money and parted with their land will get the land back. “All bargadars (share-croppers) will also be back in their respective positions. This was not in the court order but we will do it,” the Chief Minister said, adding that a notification in this regard will be issued during the day. The government has also taken the onus to make the land, parts of which are now concrete for a Tata Motors factory which was supposed to come up on it, cultivable, she said. She also instructed the officials to locate another land in Burdwan district to set up a ’langcha’ (a type of sweet) hub. The land for it was acquired in 2007. “But, if the people do not want, it will not be set up there,” Banerjee said.