South Asia Update
Published by MAC on 2007-03-09
South Asia update
9th March 2007
Despite massive protests against Tata's proposed car plant in West Bengal, the state government has now signed over prime agricultural land. This follows a demonstration against the same company's putative iron steel plant in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh which last month was met with violent counter-action by police and pro-Tata "goondahs".
The country's leading steel-maker has been granted a licence to prospect for iron ore in the same region, while a Chinese company has secured permission from the Chinese government to negotiate an alumina joint venture with India's Ashapura Minechem.
The death of a mine owner in Burma has prompted the Thai government to demand how his company was able to operate for three years in the neighbouring country without the knowledge of the Thai authorities.