Officers involved in arduous task of reconverting land to get recognition

For the first time ever in the state’s history, names of officers will remain displayed on a board for their invaluable work to complete a task much ahead of the set deadline.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday announced that names of the officers who were involved in the task of reconverting the 997 acres of the Singur land to cultivable condition and distribute it to its actual owners will be displayed on a board.

A booklet will also be published containing detailed information about the officers, their department and contribution for returning the land to farmers by following the Supreme Court’s order word by word.

Banerjee went to Singur on Wednesday to check the present situation as she had set November 8 as the deadline for completion of the land handing over process.

The Apex court had given 12 weeks time to the state government to return the land to its owners. But the officers have worked day and night without taking any leaves to complete the task before two weeks.

She said that this was not an easy task as there were thick concrete floors which had to be removed. Subsequently, the land also had to be converted to cultivable condition before handing it over to the farmers. It was challenging to carry out the work of conversion as well as documentation at the same time. But the officers tackled the situation skilfully.

“They didn’t take leave during Durga Puja and other festivals to complete the work on time. Thus, they will be getting leaves after the entire process of handing over the land is over,” she announced adding that Singur would become a place of interest for people from abroad and students would visit the place for research work.

It may be recalled that she had earlier appreciated the work of all the departments involved in returning the land to farmers and the departments include agriculture, department, urban development and municipal affairs, public works, public health engineering, panchayat and rural development department.

She had also appreciated the Hooghly district administration and police who had worked under the leadership of the District Magistrate Sanjay Bansal and superintendent of police Praveen Tripathi.

During Wednesday’s visit, she further said that no one had turned up to claim 71 acre of land and around 846 acre of land have been distributed among its owners.

“There were some people who had taken cheques posing as owners of the plots during the Left Front regime,” she said adding that if there are any actual land owners they would get back their plots. It may be mentioned that she had said earlier in Singur on September 14 that steps would be taken against such people.

She further said that steps would be taken to refill the channels which are passing through the land in Singur under the state government’s Jal Dharo Jal Bharo scheme.