Calcutta, Jan. 16: The government is going slow in Nandigram because it can afford to, state CPM secretary Biman Bose suggested today.

“No acquisition process has been initiated there,” Bose said. Neither would it begin anytime soon because the Salim Group will develop the special economic zone (SEZ) in the last leg of a 12-year project.

The 12-year plan includes building a 100-km expressway spanning the two 24-Parganas and a bridge across the river Haldi. The road and the bridge would improve Calcutta’s connectivity with Haldia and neighbouring Nandigram.

“Nandigram and the rest of East Midnapore would come up for acquisition in the last leg of the SEZ projects to be developed by the Indonesian group,” Bose added.

He made it clear that the government would go for gradual acquisition of land in tune with the progress of the other projects to avoid farmers’ resistance.

A Haldia Development Authority notification identifying 29 mouzas to be taken over immediately in Nandigram and Khejuri blocks had trigg-ered violent clashes last week.

The first part of the 12-year project would begin at Barasat in North 24-Parganas from where the expressway will start. Land acquisition would be done in phases and places in South 24-Parganas such as Bhangar, Baruipur and Raichak, where the bridge ends, would be touched later.

The road would lead to the bridge across the Haldi.

“Nandigram would come (up for acquisition) after the road and bridge are comple-ted. The alignment of many roads might change. No timeframe for acquisition has been worked out yet,’’ Bose said.

He declined to clarify whether “last phase” meant land in Nandigram would be acquired four-five years later. “The government will make the decision when the time comes.’’

A section of the party wants the acquisition of around 40,000 acres for various Salim projects deferred till next year’s panchayat polls.

Releasing a campaign tit- led “Its not agriculture vs industry but industry on the basis of agriculture”, Bose said no ceiling on the number of SEZs in the state had been fixed.

CPM rally

Nine days after violence rocked Nandigram, the CPM held a rally near the local police station. MP Lakshman Seth, also chairman of the Haldia Development Authority, “regretted” the January 7 flare-up that killed seven. He promised the rally the party would first discuss all decisions on acquisition with villagers.