Countdown to breakdown

n May 25, 2006: Villagers show their unwillingness to give up their land when a team from Tata Motors comes to inspect the land

n July 20, 2006: Notifications under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, for acquisition of a total of 997.11 acres of land, spread across five ‘mouzas’ in Singur, is published

n August 7, 2006: Around 5,000 villagers protest in front of Gopalnagar gram panchayat office against land acquisition in Singur

n September 25, 2006: The first lot of compensation cheques is handed out to farmers from the Singur block development office

n November 30, 2006: Section 144 is imposed in Singur for a month.

n December 4, 2006: Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee launches an indefinite fast

n December 18, 2006: The charred body of a 19-year-old Tapasi Mallik is found from the project site

n January 17, 2007: CBI starts investigations into the murder of Tapasi Malik

n February 5, 2007: Amid heightened tension at Singur, the Hooghly district administration reimposes prohibitory orders till February 14

n February 7, 2007: Singur on the boil again as police fire teargas shells to chase away activists of Trinamool Congress-led Krishi Jami Raksha Committee

n February 15, 2007: High Court strikes down section 144 in Singur

n February 24, 2007: Calcutta HC says Singur land acquisition appears illegal

n March 13, 2007: Another suicide triggers fresh tension in Singur

n May 25, 2007: Prasanta Das, a farmer in Singur whose land was acquired for the small car project of Tata Motors, allegedly commits suicide

n June 20, 2007: The West Bengal Government announces a rehab package for those affected due to the project

n June 30, 2007: Local CPI(M) leaders Suhrid Dutta and Debu Mallik are arrested by the CBI in connection with the murder of Tapasi Mallik

n April, 2008: The Supreme Court declines to stay the Calcutta High Court judgment, upholding the acquisition of land in Singur by Tata Motors

n August 24, 2008: Siege of Singur by Sigur Krishijomi Rakkha Committee begins

n June 14, 2006: Beni Santosso, chairman of Salim group lands in Kolkata. Santosso is expected to discuss the feasibility of setting up an SEZ at Nandigram

... contd.