Nod for use of no-devpt zones in denotified SEZs

Mumbai: The state government has decided to permit use of no-development zones (NDZs) for industrial, commercial and residential activity in the exit policy for special economic zones (SEZs). 

    A basic floor space index (FSI) of 0.5 on the gross area will be permitted in NDZ areas. 
    As an exit route, the state's new industrial policy permits conversion of denotified SEZs more than 100 acres to integrated industrial areas (IIAs). 
    The policy will also be applicable for SEZs that apply for denotification within six months of the policy coming into force. At least 124 out of 146 SEZs originally notified have failed to take off, as a result 29,000 hectares of land has been locked up. A developer is permitted to utilize 60% land for industrial activity, while about 10% could be used for commercial development and 30% could be used for apartments and facilities like schools, colleges, recreation grounds. 
    The release of NDZs could rake up another controversy, sources said. Under normal circumstances, the original land use reservation would become applicable on an SEZ's denotification and its utilization would be governed by regional DC norms. No industrial or commercial activity is permitted in an NDZ under these norms. 
    Defending the new initiative, a senior state official said it has been done to compensate for the loss of FSI upon denotification. A universal FSI of 1 is applicable to a SEZ. The government has also decided to permit a maximumFSI of 0.5 for IIAs situated in green (agriculture) zones (GZ) and urbanizable zones. An FSI of 1 will be permissible in residential or industrial areas. 
    However, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said the policy had safeguards. "The development permission for commercial and residential activities will be granted only after development of infrastructure for the portion earmarked for industrial development and disposal of one-third of the industrial area," Chavan said. "The developer will have to set up 75% 'onsite infrastructure' within three years. The town planning department will approve the IIA layout, whereas building plans will be cleared by MIDC or CIDCO," he added. 
    An IIA will have to be developed within 10 years of sanction. "The policy takes into account needs of the workforce employed in industries, which has been overlooked in the past. It provides for their residential and recreation requirement near their place of work," Chavan said. 
Bias towards bldrs in industrial policy: BJP T he state's new industrial policy has come under sharp criticism from the BJP, which has alleged that the Democratic Front (DF) government drafted norms to "benefit developers at the cost of farmers". Leader of the opposition in the assembly Eknath Khadse criticized the policy. According to the rules, 10% land originally acquired can be used for commercial development, while 30% could be used for building apartments and facilities like schools and colleges. "How can a residential complex come up next to industrial areas? The pollution will create problems for the residents," Khadse said. "The farmers gave away their land for development. If a plot is not used for industrial purposes, then it should be returned back to them," he added. According to Khadse, most business houses put their money in Mumbai-Pune-Nashik corridor.—Sanjeev Shivadekar