How Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's Dream Of Setting Up Industries In Nandigram Remained Unfulfilled

Bharat88

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posted on 4 months ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Similar to the Singur Nano Plant, the WB government also wanted to set up a Special Economic Zone in Nandigram in the Purba Medinipur district.

Former Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee died at his Palm Avenue residence in south Calcutta on August 8, Thursday morning. He was 80. According to Local 18 Bengal, he wanted to transform the Nandigram situated on the Haldi River in the Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal. The Nandigram natives are in mourning over the late chief minister’s loss. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had envisioned employment for the Nandigranm people and changing their lives.

In 2007, Bengal politics witnessed immense turmoil with the acquisition of land in Singur under the Land Acquisition Act of 1894. This acquisition was done by the West Bengal government to give Tata Group nearly 1,000 acres of land for the Tata Nano project. Similar to the Singur Nano Plant, the WB government also wanted to set up a Special Economic Zone in Nandigram in the Purba Medinipur district in the state. They wanted to allot the land for setting up a 10,000-acre chemical hub.

The late Chief Minister also tried to set up industries on one side of the Haldi river like Haldi industrial area and on the other side in Nandigram. Farmers were reluctant to give up agricultural land for setting up factories or industries. At that time, a larger movement against the government started in the name of the Singur Krishi Zamin Raksha Committee (Save Agricultural Land Committee).

On March 14, 2007, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee ordered around 2,500 cops to enter Nandigram, which left 14 people dead allegedly in police firing. This led to the ouster of the Left parties in West Bengal, which had ruled here for 34 years and the aim of setting up an industry also couldn’t be realised. However, the current natives of Nandigram feel that the industry should have been established in Nandigram. It would have benefitted the East Mednipur district in Nandigram and also a large portion of West Bengal by generating many employment opportunities.

Now, many natives of Nandigram have moved to other countries for work including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, etc. The natives of this West Bengal town feel that the economic structure would have changed if Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had fulfilled his ambitions.