Update

West Bengal industrialisation plans on hold as centre reviews SEZs The West Bengal government's industrialisation ambitions received a series of setbacks in the past month with the Union government deciding to put additional special economic zones (SEZs) on hold until a review; Left Front allies rejecting a proposal to relax land ceiling laws; and the Calcutta High Court quashing prohibitory orders under Section 144 at Singur calling it an "abuse of power".

Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee now says the state will not take land from farmers without consent.

Singur--where the Tatas are building a small car plant--has been under prohibitory orders since late September 2006. It was lifted on January 28 only to be re-imposed on February 4--just days ahead of Trinamul chief Mamata Banerjee's planned rally in Singur.

Krishi Jomi Raksha Committee filed a suit against the re-imposition of prohibitory orders at the high court.In its February 14 verdict, the court ruled that the state had imposed prohibitory orders in a "pre-judged" manner on February 4. On February 18, Banerjee held her first rally in Singur after nearly five months.