Centre drafts green SEZ policy

The Centre has drafted a ‘green SEZ policy’ for making industrial and non-industrial special economic zones (SEZs) more energy efficient. The policy will be introduced shortly, said MS Rao, development commissioner, Visakhapatnam Special Economic Zone.

There are 344 notified SEZs spread across 40,000 hectare in the country that have so far attracted Rs 1 lakh crore.

“Guidelines have already been prepared in consultation with the CII Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre and we are now seeking inputs from the stakeholders as we would like to take them as partners in this initiative rather than imposing the guidelines on them,” Rao said, delivering his address on the ‘Role of government in promoting green buildings’ at the CII’s Green Building Congress 2009 in Hyderabad on Thursday.

According to the draft green guidelines, buildings in the SEZ need to comply with the energy conservation building code by laying down solar power systems to generate a minimum of 50 Kw of power per hectare, meeting 50 per cent of hot water requirements through solar heating and implementing 100 per cent water harvesting while ensuring zero water discharge.