No SEZ rollback: Buddha

BIDYUT ROY
Posted online: Thursday, March 29, 2007 at 0150 hours IST




KOLKATA, MAR 28: Making his first public appearance after the police
firing at Nandigram on March 14, chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
was back in form, stressing that there was no question of going back on
plans for a chemical hub, the issue that had aroused violent opposition
at Nandigram.
At the same time, Bhattacharjee said the hub would not come up at
Nandigram, but at an alternative location, as he sought to explain that
his vision of industrialisation would not lead to jobless growth as
globalisation has done, according to its critics.

"Today, I spoke to Delhi. I have told them to let us know the latest
position since we have a pact with Indian Oil Corp [for the chemical
hub]," Bhattacharjee told the students and youth wing of the CPI(M).

"We want the chemical hub," he stressed. Once Delhi gives the final
picture, "we will locate an alternative within seven days," he told the
crowd of around 10,000 at an indoor stadium.

The state had planned to acquire 10,000 acres in the area for a special
economic zone (SEZ) that would be part of a chemical hub cleared by the
Union government.

Bhattacharjee said the state government had wanted the chemical hub to
come up at Nandigram, and to build a bridge over the River Haldi to
connect the area with Haldia.

"We have one Haldia. We wanted to build another Haldia," he said,
referring to the port town that is home to major petrochemical-based
plants of Japan's Mitsubishi Chemical Corp, Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd
and Indian Oil Corp, apart from other industries.

"But the people of Nandigram did not accept our plans," Bhattacharjee
said. "At first, we had decided that the SEZ would not come up if the
people there do not want it. Now, the government has decided not to
build the SEZ at Nandigram."

Bhattacharjee said everybody knows the incident of March 14. He stressed
that he does not want bloodshed.

"I, on behalf of the government, accept responsibility for what
happened," Bhattacharjee said.

He said, "To me, what matters is that human beings died. Their party
affiliation is not important."

He urged the opposition parties to remember that the Leftists are also
human beings. "Do not kill them," he said, in reference to the deaths of
several CPI(M) workers at the hands of those opposed to the SEZ at
Nandigram.

Without naming any opposition leader or party, Bhattacharjee used the
platform to lash out at those opposed to his industrialisation vision.

"Please do not ruin the state," he said. "Your actions are sending the
wrong signals to the rest of the country and the world."

Bhattacharjee said he and his team had gone to the other parts of India
as well as to other countries to tell people that West Bengal needs
investments.

"Today, the state has turned around and has created an investment climate.

In this year alone, we have investment proposals for Rs 78,000 crore,"
the chief minister said.

Because of the government's drive, he said, the youth are again
optimistic about getting jobs.

"Should we not go forward? The Opposition wants us to halt, but I say
West Bengal will overcome all hurdles to become No. 1 in industry,"
Bhattacharjee said, once again to loud clapping.

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