Crucial Singur talks begin today | Will farmers get sops?

Kolkata: Amidst a fresh war of words between the Tatas and Trinamool Congress, the stage is set for talks between West Bengal government and Mamata Banerjee on Friday.

A proposal for higher compensation for farmers whose land was acquired for the Tata Motors car project could be on the agenda in the all-important talks.

Industry Secretary Sabyasachi Sen said West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation has only 47 acre in the 997 acre earmarked for Tata Motors plant and its ancilliary units.

"How can the government distribute it? It will lead to discrimination. There is also a legal problem", he said.

Asked about the land located opposite the Nano project which was mentioned by Trinamool Congres for relocating the vendor park, the Industry Secretary said it was not government land.

''It is private land. In that case, government has to acquire it and the same problem may crop up if the government acquires it,'' he said.

In a virtual rejection of the TMC demand for shifting the ancillary units and returning 400 acres to "unwilling" farmers, Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata made clear that the company was against any change in the land pattern at Singur.

Sources told PTI that Tata, in his reply to the Governor's letter sent on Wednesday, said the Tatas had no problem in participating in any talks on Singur as suggested but was against any change in the land pattern.

Reacting sharply to Tata's stand, TMC leader Partha Chatterjee, a key negotiator deputed by party chief Mamata Banerjee for the talks, said "it is kind of pressure tactic. This is a most unfortunate statement on the eve of tomorrow's talks. It will dampen the spirit of the initiative taken by the Governor."

Earlier in the day, the Governor had a flurry of meetings with state's Industry Minister Nirupam Sen and Panchayat Minister Surya Kant Mishra and later with a delegation of Trinamool leaders who included Partha Chatterjee in the run up to tomorrow's talks.

The Governor said he was looking forward to a “meaningful dialogue,” a press statement issued by Raj Bhavan said.