The Sunrise

In the mid 70's a port was set up at Haldia (at the confluence of the Haldia and the Ganga). The satellite port, very near Calcutta, having a rich hinterland soon gave way to a developed industrial zone Prestigious houses like the HFC, Exide, Hindustan Lever, Shaw Wallece, CFCL, IOC etc. made their entry. Further, expansion of the industrial territory was formulated.

On 21 June 1977 the Left Front came to power in West Bengal almost immediately the government took up plans for all round economic reconstruction. Keeping in mind the growing use of plastic in the consumer world and the industry, the government proposal to float a petrochemical project at Haldia, that would cater to the needs of entire Eastern Zone. It was conceived that the sophisticated multidimensional project shall be the pride of the industrially backward district of Medinipur. It will include downstream industries covering about 19 items including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, cables, explosives, rubber etc. The total employment generation was expected to be over 1.5 crores.

In June 1978 in a well attended meeting at Haldia, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Jyoti Basu announced in the presence of Central minister H.N. Bahuguna that a giant project is coming up at Haldia. Soon after land acquisition started and people' expectation started to swell.

Taste The Thunder'

In 1979, the Janata Party government collapsed, Indira Gandhi returned in power in 1980. The proposal was taken up for discussion at the Central level. In 1981 it was agreed on principle that the Centre shall contribute 40% of the funds, the state shall take care of 40% of it and the rest shall come from financial institutions. But the formal license (those were the days of license raj!) was not given. Volumes of letters were sent to Delhi by the Chief Minister of West Bengal to expedite matters, but his entire request fell on deaf ears. On 26 March 1984, the Petroleum Minister P. Shibsankar promised in the Parliament that West Bengal is going to get a petrochemical project within the Seventh Plan period. But on 6 July 1984 the bolt came from the blue. A letter came from the energy minister. The proposal had been turned down, Maharastra and not West Bengal was going top get the blessed license. Off course the letter suggested that West Bengal was free to launch a joint venture, by choosing a partner from private sector.

From "No" to "Yes"

The news spread like wild fire, "Out right treachery", cried the people, "enough of deprivation". "We shall show them what stuff we are made of", thus began a chronicle written in blood, sweat and tear by the people, especially students and youth of West Bengal.

On 15 September 1984, the DYFI and SFI convened a mammoth rally at Durgachak, Haldia. The then finance Minister Dr. Ashok Mitra roared in that meeting, "They have said No to Haldia Petrochem, we will make them say "Yes". On 22nd May 1985 the government got into a joint venture with Ramaprasad Goenka. On 19th September 1985 four thousand people joined in a historic march from Salt Lake to Haldia. Comrade Jyoti Basu greeted the morechers. He re-affirmed his pledge to give Haldia its promised project. "If need arises we will build it on our own", he said.

However, the task was not easy. In short, an entire government had to be dislodged to change the No to Yes. Indeed the people of West Bengal led the battle against Rajiv regime. The people rose in uncountable numbers to protest against the step-motherly attitudes of the Centre. It looks precisely five years one month for them to give the assent. On 15 October 1989, Chief Minister of West Bengal on special request from Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi accompanied him to Haldia to lay the foundation stone of the Haldia Petrochemical Project. Interestingly the stone was led – about six-seven Kilometers away from the proposed site.

This sudden turn-around made the people suspicious. Their doubts proved to be amply justified the Lok-Sabha election was declared only a few days later, (leading to the demise of the Rajiv regime).

In 1990, the formal "Yes" ultimately came from the friendly government of Mr. V.P.Singh. At this point of time, Goenkas moved out from the projects, Tata Tea stepped in. On the whole things began to gain momentrum. But the BJP betrayed with V.P. Singh and the National Front Government fell.

The Dream Comes True

In 1991, the Congress Government led by P.V. Narasimha Rao, assumed power. Stimulated by the indifference of the Centre, internal bickering started in the corporate sector. Tata Tea left the project. Everything was about to be jeopardised, Jyoti Basu intervened in the last moment. TELCO, a Tata concern, agreed to stay on. But problems remained. The progress was quite unsatisgactory resource crunch became a major crisis.

Finally in 1996 the United Front Government was formed at the Centre. It was quite sympathetic to the cause of Haldia Petrochemical. The loan from IDBI was sanctioned. In 1997 Purnendu Chatterjee and the Soros Group took charge of the project. Work started in full swing.