Buddha won't budge on Nano site; says land cannot be returned

Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Mumbai: West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has rejected the demand by agitating farmers at Singur, near Kolkota, to return disputed land acquired for setting up Tata Motors' project to build the world's cheapest car 'Nano'.

Undeterred by the stiff opposition by Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress to the way land was acquired for the project, the chief minister said , ''It's not possible to return the land to the farmers.'' (See: Nano under siege in Singur)

''I can't afford to drop the project. It's an important one,'' he said while addressing businessmen in Kolkata. He, however, expressed optimism that the row over Singur project will be settled soon.

''I am trying my best. I still believe I can convince the opposition. I believe we should reach a consensus,'' he said. ''I hope the car will come out of the plant in October,'' he added.

''Giving back 400 acres is dropping the project, I cannot afford to do that," Bhattacharjee said.

The government had acquired a total of 1,000 acres for the project, of which 400 acres are under dispute.