Gurgaon SEZ developers run into water hurdle

The fast-depleting groundwater table has become a major hurdle for companies planning to set up special economic zones (SEZ) in Gurgaon.

At the open house meeting for Export Oriented Units (EOU) and SEZ, organised by the Export Promotion Council here today, SEZ developers expressed concerns over the implications of the recent Punjab and Haryana High Court decision banning use of borewells even for drinking water.

D K Mittal, additional secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, while addressing the gathering reiterated that water was an issue that needs to be resolved before developing SEZs in the city. Out of the 34 SEZs notified in Haryana, Gurgaon has been awarded 30 — the city with the highest number of SEZs in India.

SEZ developers and the state government are working overtime to find a solution to the depleting groundwater levels in the city, at a time when the state public health department has predicted that at the current rate of consumption, Gurgaon would run out of groundwater by 2040.

Haryana Principal Secretary (Industries), Y S Malik, said any new company intending to set up an SEZ in Gurgaon has to give in writing on how it intends to procure water. He said new companies will be allowed to set up SEZs only after the government studies their proposal and finds their intent satisfactory.

To mitigate water problems for SEZs in Gurgaon which have already asked for help, the state government could make arrangments from the NCR water channel being built to satiate the burgeoning demand of water for Gurgaon residents.

It was also suggested that SEZs focus on water conservation and companies willing to set up new zones should focus on regions where the water supply situation was not alarming.

To address the plummeting groundwater level in the city, the Haryana Urban Development Authority had also announced plans to construct a lake in Sector 72 of Gurgaon.

They had proposed to develop the lake in line with state government policies and have started mapping the site. The land acquisition is expected to start soon. The state government’s response has been positive.

Exports from SEZs across India this financial year is likely to touch Rs 2,50,000 crore, compared to Rs 2,20,711 crore in 2009-10.