Calcutta, March 14: The Jindals have said they will keep local sentiments in mind while building a steel plant in Bengal but assured the government that the state remains their investment choice.

“There is no issue with the land at Salboni (in West Midnapore). But in case there is a problem and if it’s insurmountable, the plant will be shifted elsewhere (in the state),” JSW chairman Sajjan Jindal said after a meeting with chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on a day violence erupted in Nandigram.

“We believe that the consent of people is important because we’ll have to survive with the locals once the factory is set up,” Jindal said.

Other options (sites) will be examined if there is opposition from the people of Salboni. “As far as I know, the people are quite excited. We will be happy if 90 per cent of them give their consent,” he said.

Asked what incentives have been offered in comparison with those given to the Tatas’ small car plant, Jindal said: “We don’t know what incentives the Tatas are getting. But we don’t want any. We will set up the factory on a commercial basis.”

Jindal’s reassurance might have brought Bhattacharjee some comfort on a day Nandigram erupted again, but words from the industry in Bengal weren’t encouraging.

“Today’s incident gives the state negative publicity,” said Rajeev Singh, secretary-general of the Indian Chamber of Commerce.

Others said Friday’s bandh will make matters worse, prompting investors to defer decisions on putting money into a state with land problems.

“We’ll wait and watch. We’ll not hurry things up,” said an official of a company planning to invest in Bengal.

Kalyan Kar, managing director of IT firm Accleris, said: “This is a wrong signal. After today’s incidents, we’ll face more questions.”

IT and BPO firms will take steps to keep attendance normal on the bandh day. “We’ll take emergency measures,” said Cognizant vice-president Siddhartha Mukherjee.