Nano looks south as Mamata, Buddha hold ground

Mumbai: Tata Motors, which suspended work at its Nano car project in Singur, West Bengal following violent protests, said the Karnataka government has offered 1,000 acres of land and other incentives in Dharwad for relocating its project for making the Rs1,00,000 small car.

The latest move comes amidst a hardening of postures by Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, which is spearheading the farmers' protest and the state government.

Mamata rejected the state government's offer of 70 acres and an additional 50 per cent in cash for those who lost their land and said she will continue the agitation until the state government returns 300 acres of land forcibly taken from unwilling farmers in Singur.

Tata Motors managing director G Ravikant who met Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa on Thursday, later told reporters that Dharwad already the basic facilities required for setting up the car plant.

''He (the chief minister) said he will give all support, assistance and required incentives if we want it,'' Ravikanth said, adding, ''The project requires about 1,000 acres of land. It is an integrated project.''.

''We are watching the situation and actively looking at alternatives," Kant later told TV channels.

Hopes of resolving the dispute faded after the state government and Trinamool Congress formed a panel to identify land within the project site which could be handed back to farmers.

Ravi kant, however, said no decision on the relocation has been taken yet although the company is actively looking for alternatives. He also said that other possible sites for the project include Pantagar in Uttarakhand, which has a Tata plant for the Ace minitruck, and Pune in Maharashtra, which has already carried out Nano test production.