No new SEZ in Gurgaon till water issue settled: Haryana to developers

“The Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation has contributed upfront for the Rs 800-crore Gurgaon water supply scheme. But the infrastructure for augmenting water supply has a gestation period. We can file a review petition before the High Court to allow digging of borewells in the intervening period. Until then,any new SEZ proposal for Gurgaon,that comes up before the project approval committee will have to show where it intends to meet its demand for water,” he said.

Malik said Haryana’s New Industrial Policy,notified on January 1,clearly states that it will not be responsible for ensuring water to developers.

Speaking at an open house with SEZ developers — a majority listed water woes as the biggest concern in Gurgaon — Malik said: “Why are you fixated with Gurgaon? We can’t create problems for residents of Gurgaon as fresh water has to be limited only for human consumption. Rainwater harvesting and recycling water is necessary for each SEZ. On our part,we will make a joint strategy along with the Public Health Department and Haryana Urban Development Authority to resolve the issue.”

D K Mittal,Additional Secretary in the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry,said that with 30 SEZs,Gurgaon has one of the highest concentration of SEZs in the country.

“It cannot take the pressure of more SEZs and the water issue needs to be resolved first. Even when new proposals for Gurgaon come before the Empowered Group of Ministers for approval,we will see to it that they have water,” he said.