Calcutta/Singur, Oct. 22: The Singur land leased out for the Nano project will be used only for industry, the state government said today.

“The nature of the land has been changed for setting up industry. So, in future, the state government will use the Singur land for setting up industry and increasing employment opportunities. For this, the government is taking specific steps,” a statement said.

Industries secretary Sabyasachi Sen said “one big project” need not necessarily come up there. “There could be small- or medium-scale enterprises, light engineering units, industrial parks or food processing parks that generate employment. Or, we may think of bringing projects that haven’t got land elsewhere.’’

He added that “as of now, we haven’t got any concrete proposal”.

First, the Tatas will have to inform the government whether they will vacate the land or hold on to it, Sen said. “We will ask them about their plans, probably in November. They are in the process of shifting machinery and have sought police help.”

Machinery ruckus

In Singur, the presence of about 50 engineers and officials of Tata Motors, who had come to remove machinery from the site, sparked an uproar among members of the Singur Banchao Committee that wants the plant there.

Nearly 30 members sitting on a dharna near the plant rushed towards three buses carrying the engineers. But a police contingent intervened.

Soon, about 200 more villagers — some who had given up their land and others members of supply syndicates — gathered and raised slogans demanding that the Nano be manufactured in Singur. Some villagers assaulted labourers heading to the plant to help dismantle the machinery. The police drove the villagers away.