Tamluk, Sept. 19: The Bengal government said it had obtained consent for acquisition of nearly 440 acres out of the 492 required for a shipyard in East Midnapore after the last day for hearing farmers’ objections.

Owners of 250 acres in Geonkhali have given their consent in writing.

Additional district magistrate Srikumar Tarafdar said: “We completed our hearing today and owners of 55 acres objected to the acquisition. So we take it that the rest are willing to give up their land.”

Bharati Shipyard has proposed the Rs 2,000-crore shipyard to be built in collaboration with the Apeejay Group.

The administration today heard the farmers who had lodged objections to the acquisition at Deulpota, one of the four mouzas identified for the project. “We heard some 150 farmers who own about 2.26 acres,” said an official.

At Deulpota, 154 acres have been marked for acquisition.

Nearly 250 landowners of Bhangagora and Badur mouzas had given their consent to the acquisition of 176 acres on Tuesday. In the first hearing in August, owners of 17.88 acres had opposed the acquisition.

The Trinamul Congress-led Save Farmland Committee in Geonkhali accused the administration of lying and said about 300 farmers owning about 250 acres had not given their consent.

Around 400 committee supporters demonstrated in front of Tarafdar’s office today and they nearly came to blows with a group of CPM supporters, including farmers who have already pledged their land for the project. The hearing was delayed by two hours because of the commotion.

“Nearly 300 farmers owning about 250 acres have refused to give up their land. But while lodging protests with the district magistrate in June, some of them forgot to mention the quantity of land they owned. The administration rejected their petitions,” alleged Goutam Das, a convener of the committee.

He warned that the administration would be making a “grave mistake if the unwilling farmers were forced” to give up their land.

“We will launch a Nandigram-type agitation in Geonkhali if the administration exercises force while acquiring the land for the shipyard.”

Nandigram, where a bid to acquire land for a chemical hub had turned bloody last year, is only about 50km from Geonkhali.

East Midnapore Trinamul president Sisir Adhikary said the shipyard could not be allowed at the cost of farmers. “We will prevent any such move.”