PTI
Kolkata, Sep 8: Tata Motors said it would not resume work on its small-car plant in Singur, claiming that the outcome of talks between the government and opposition parties to end protests against the project lacked clarity.
"Tata Motors is distressed at the limited clarity on the outcome of the discussions between the state government and the representatives of the agitators in Singur," a statement issued by the company said.
At the end of talks mediated by West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi yesterday, an official statement said that the government would respond to the demands of those farmers who have not received compensation and asked vendors of Tata Motors not to go ahead with construction of their respective facilities in the meantime.
The company said that it would review its stated position only if it was satisfied that the viability of the project was not being impinged.
Tata Motors' statement came a day after Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee suspended her indefinite dharna last night following an agreement with the state government.
Although no reaction was immediately available from the state government or Trinamool Congress on Tata Motors' statement, Industry minister Nirupam Sen earlier in the day made it clear that the Tata project would not be altered.
Asked whether the government would provide land to the farmers from the Tata project, Sen asked reporters at the state secretariat, ''Where is it written that the land will be given from the Tata project?''
Meanwhile, movement of traffic resumed on both lanes of the Durgapur Expressway this morning with the Trinamool chief suspending her two-week long dharna near the Tata Motors' small car plant.
The police said that movement of vehicular traffic resumed on both sides of the road and the dharna platforms were being dismantled. Chairs placed on one side of the expressway were removed to facilitate traffic movement.
Banerjee had announced last night that the dharna was called off following the agreement with the state government after marathon talks at Raj Bhavan between her and Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee in the presence of Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi.
The statement issued by the Governor said that the government would respond to the demands of those farmers who have not received compensation, by means of land provided to the maximum within the project area and the rest in adjacent areas as early as possible.
A committee would be formed to ascertain the scope and settle the modalities within a week and during this time, the government would urge all the vendors not to make any construction.