Tata says bye to Singur

Tata Motors today announced it is pulling out of West Bengal because of repeated agitation,insecure condition .

Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata said: "We have arrived at the painful decision mainly for the well-being of our employees and for the safety of contractors." 

The auto major's decision comes 32 days after it decided to suspend operations in the Singur factory fearing for security of its employees who were manhandled and threatened by Trinamool Congress-led protesters, demanding the return of 400 acres out of the total area 997.11 acres taken for the project. 

"We have not decided where the plant would be shifted. We have offers from three or four state governments, which we are exploring. Hopefully, there will not be such opposing views there... We hope to find a location with a congenial environment". 

 "These two years that we have worked, we are appreciative of the support the government gave us, the facilities the government provided. The agitation by the opposition is the sole reason for the decision." 

Tata said the chief minister was extremely distressed at the company's decision. "The meeting went on for a long time as he was very persuasive that we do not move out. I had to explain to him that the wellbeing of contractors was my responsibility." 

"I told him that a plant cannot be run with police protection, you cannot run when walls are broken, or people intimidated and threatened. If this is the situation during the stage of construction, what will happen when we start production?" he asked.  "He did not agree. He thought we are not taking the right decision," Tata added.  Tata said the company would have to evaluate the losses. "Whatever the loss and cost may be, I believe we had no other option".  Tata assured all employees of the Singur plant and those undergoing training that they would find a place in other plants of the company. "Hope they stay in the Tata family, but obviously not in Singur."  Tata said the vendors would also move with the mother plant. "We will try to protect the vendors as much as we can. We will do everything to ensure they move with us. They are integral part of the project".  "This is an Indian project. Shame it faced such a situation," he said, and ruled out any reconsideration of the decision. "Once we have taken the decision, we have taken it".  Pondering over the turn of events, he said: "What everybody has to decide is whether people need industrial development. Whether young people will have the opportunity for employment."