Nandigram Timeline (22 August 2005

1

A TIMELINEof

NANDIGRAM

(22 August 2005 – 17 June 2008)

A

Mazdoor Mukti

Publication

2

PROFILE

Nandigram is a rural area in East Midnapur district of West Bengal which has been the centre of peasant resistance against an attempt by the government to acquire agricultural land for setting up a Special Economic Zone. Nandigram is located around 150 km from Kolkata, on the south bank of the Haldi River, opposite the industrial city of Haldia. The area falls under the Haldia Development Authority.There are three Blocks in Nandigram – Block-1, Block-2, Block-3 of which Nandigram Block-1 is the one most affected by the West Bengal government’s proposed SEZ to set up a chemical industrial hub with investment from the Salim Group, an Indonesian multinational. The total area of Nandigram (all 3 blocks) is 413.74 sq. km. while the population is 439077. The total area affected by the proposed SEZ project was about 60 sq.km. with a population of about 65000 covering five Gram Panchayats. The affected areas are Bhangabera, Sonachura, Saudkhali, Maheshpur, Gokulnagar, Adhikaripara.Muslims and lower caste Hindus dominate the population. Apart from agriculture, the people of Nandigram are engaged as labour in the garment industry and estuarine fishing. Betel leaves represent the only commercial crops and brick kilns constitute the only industrial activity. Annual incomes vary between Rs 18,000 and Rs 20,000. Many of Nandigram's youth travel up the river to the industrial hub of Metiaburz to work in low-paid jobs in the garment and other industries. Literacy rates here are as low as 27 per cent, against the West Bengal state average of 69 per cent. Most villages here have no electricity, few pucca houses, and landholders subsist on three crops of rice and vegetables.Khudiram Bose and Matangini Hajra are among the many martyrs who hailed from this very region.The people of Nandigram were at the forefront of the boycott of British goods in 1901; the Khilafat, non- cooperation movement in 1921;when chowkidari system and tax by the British was opposed, compelling the British to withdraw. Salt Satyagraha in 1930 made the district popular. In Tebhaga movement in 1946, Nandigram fought for the rights of the sharecroppers successfully. One of the main centres of the Tebhaga Movement (1946-47) was Midnapur, namely Mahishadal, Sutahata and Nandigram). It was then CPI that led the movement, which was for the right to work, right to land and right to life of the people. This is the historical reason behind the CPI holding on to the legislative seat in the area even today. Bhupal Panda, Ananta Majhi, Pandit Jana led the movement. Many areas were converted to Muktanchal. Women came forward and joined the movement as members of volunteer bahini of the Krishak Sabha. After the famine of 1943, Mahila Atmaraksha Samity was formed. The new mode of resistance and form of participation of the peasant women of Mohammadpur and Nandigram spread like fire. Women took up whatever they had in their domestic confine –broomstick, sickle, chopper, stick to protect them from the police and to save their men folk and their crops. Nandigram witnessed another uprising under the leadership of Sudipta Tewari in 1982. Even then roads were dug up and police was boycotted to draw the government’s attention towards the underdevelopment.The Communist Party of India, which is a constituent of the Left Front government in West Bengal,had a strong presence in the area. Illias Mohammad Sheik is member of the state legislative assembly from Nandigram. Nandigram traditionally has been a left citadel, voting time and again for successive Left Front Governments in the state. The Nandigram assembly seat is held by the CPI while the Haldia Lok Sabha seat belongs to the CPI(M). In last Panchayat election CPI(M) won 55 seats and CPI got 20 seats in total 136 seats of Nandigram -1 block.

Jellingham project

Jellingham project of Burn Standard Industries Limited at Gangrachar in Nandigram Block–I has been wearing out since it closed down in the year of 1989. Close to 400 acres of land at Gangra was acquired in 1977 for this project by the Kolkata Port Trust and Burn Standards. About 142 families lost their land.Of them, 19 families had lost the roof over their heads as well. Some were lucky. They received a small compensation for their lost land after knocking on the doors of the Calcutta High Court. Others received nothing.The production started on 1984 and after functioning for five years only, this unit of Burn Standard wound up all its operation due to corruption in management and conflict between labour unions.A huge area of this abandoned project now has been still lying deserted and unattended. Later, the Zilla Parishad was practicing community forestry on a part of this unused area. The outcome of Jellingham project has raised apprehension and mistrust among the residents of Nandigram in connection to the proposed plan for industrialization.

3

200522 August:

The Chief Minister, Mr BuddhadebBhattacharjee, today left for Jakartha despite thestate facing a controversy about allotment of agri-cultural land for industrial use. The chief ministerhas gone to finalise a Rs 50,000 crore deal withIndonesia’s Salim Group for setting up industry onsome 5,100 acres in south 24-Parganas afterobtaining the clearance from the CPI(M) Politburoand the state leadership. A 22-member tradedelegation from the state also accompanied thechief minister. Before leaving Mr Bhattacharjeesaid in the changing political and economicsituations in the world, there was no otheralternative with us but to rely on the foreigninvestment and the capitalist market for the rapidindustrial growth in Bengal. He, however, made itclear the interest of the state and the working classpeople would not be sacrificed in any way. Heclaimed the Salem would not only set up a newindustrial state in Bengal but it would provide over50,000 jobs to the unemployed youth in theimmed-iate future.

27 August:

West Bengal Chief Minister, Bud-dhadeb Bhattacharjee, who yesterday conclud-eda five-day visit to Singapore and Indonesia, briefedtop political leaders in these two countries aboutthe State Government's "economic program-mme"and his "political thinking" in the present milieu ofglobalisation. With the West Bengal Chief Minister,Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, conveying a politicalmes-sage to the international business communitythat his Government is determined to stay on its"reform" course, a memorandum of understanding(MoU) has been signed in Jakarta for an"industrial-park" project, with foreign collaboration,in the State. He said that his government wantedforeign direct investments (FDI) and private capitalfor industrial and infrastructure projects in theState. The MoU for an industrial-park project wassigned on 25th night between the Salim Group, anIndonesian business house, and the West BengalIndustrial Development Corporation. Under theMoU, essentially a "state-ment of intent" on bothsides, the Indonesian group will play the deve-loper's role for promoting an industrial park, in thenature of a special economic zone, in WestBengal. A formal and final agreement, including adetailed project report, will be negotiated on thebasis of the present MoU, according to officials.

200614 June:

Mr. Beni Santosso, chairman of theSalim group landed in Kolkata tonight. He will beflown to Haldia in the next morning. According to aHaldia Development Authority (HDA) source, MrSantosso will discuss with them Haldia’s industrialpotential and the feasibility of setting up an SEZ atNandigram, on the banks of the river Haldi. MrSantoso visited construction sites of the KolkataWest International City at Howrah and Mahabharattwo-wheeler factory at Uluberia.

15 June:

Mr Santoso arrived in Haldia at noontoday. Mr Lakhsman Seth, CPI-M MP and chai-rman of Haldia Development Authority, showed MrSantoso the land that has been proposed forallotment to the Salim Group for its projects. Mr.Santoso inspected land at Barhsundara, nearNational Highway No. 41 and at Dakshinchak nearBalughata -- the site of the proposed bridge overthe river Haldi. He also viewed Nandigram fromJawahar Towers at Haldia Dock Complex. Later,he visited Tentulberia, the proposed site for theRaichak-Kukrahati bridge over the river Hooghly.Speaking to reporters during his visit, Mr Santososaid: “We will require 27,000 acres of land atHaldia for developing an SEZ. I have spoken to thedeveloping authority here and tomorrow I willdiscuss it with the chief minister, Mr BuddhadebBhattacharjee.” Mr Seth later said that Mr Santosowas satisfied with the land he had inspected here.“The atmosphere here is conducive to industrialdevelopment,” he said. The government willprovide Salim Group 15,000 acre of land atNandigram and 12,000 acre at Haldia for the SEZ.The group will develop the SEZ at Haldia and drawinvestors to it through their international contacts,he said. Mr Set also said that once the SEZ isoperational here, Haldia will figure in the list ofpremier industrial towns in the country and theworld. The much sought-after SEZ will come up atsoon, he said -- Mr Santoso’s visit had put the sealon it.

16 June:

The Indonesia-based conglomerate,Salim Group, proposes to invest in a specialeconomic zone [SEZ] in Haldia in West Bengal'sPurba Midnapore district and has sought part-icipation in the chemical hub that is to come up inthe port town. The Chairman of the Salim Group,Benny Santoso, met the West Bengal ChiefMinister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, here todayand discussed its SEZ proposal, part of acomposite plan that includes the setting up ofseveral infrastructure projects in different parts ofthe State. The projects include the construction ofa bridge over the Hooghly, a highway linking theSouth and North 24 Parganas districts and thesetting up of a knowledge city and a health city inNorth 24 Parganas. The Indonesian conglomeratehas sought from the State Government 35,000acres for its different projects. The SEZ, along withthe necessary social infrastructure around it, isexpected to come up over 25,000 acres.Mr. Santosso had visited the proposed site forthe SEZ yesterday. A final agreement for thedifferent projects involving the Salim Group isexpected to be signed by July 30 after a detailedproject report is submitted by the conglomerate tothe State government. A memorandum of under-standing for the composite plan had been signedearlier. The group is also seeking participation inthe proposed chemical hub in Haldia. The projecthad been discussed at meetings between theChief Minister and the Union Petroleum Minister,Murli Deora, as well as officials of the Indian OilCorporation.

31 July:

West Bengal today signed an agree-ment with the Salim Group of Indonesia toimplement various developmental projects, inclu-ding what is stated to be the largest infrastructureproject undertaken by any State. But the DetailedProject Report for a Rs 200-billion outlay over 15years on 40,000 acres of land is still not available.Negotiations have been going on for two years.