Special Economic Zones (Sezs) and Sustainable Development

Special Economic Zones (SEZs) denote geographical areas which enjoy special privileges as compared with non-SEZs areas in the country. The main motivating forces for setting up SEZs came from the Ministry of Commerce with a view to boost exports of goods and services, provide employment and increase investment from domestic and foreign sources. In the year 2009–10 India's exports from the SEZ came down to Rs 90000 due to global meltdown. This shows clearly India's dependence on Europe and the USA. The India's model of SEZs is quite comprehensive and competitive to any such package provided elsewhere in the world. Due to conceivable concession, economic and non-economic even endangering the environment and ecological balance and inviting a rift between this SEZ and non-SEZ employees the country is sowing the seeds of social unrest. Reliance wants to set up Maha Mumbai SEZ. Due to this set up, nearly 100 villages covering 1.5 lakh families face eviction in view of the notices served by the Maharashtra Government. Almost every family in these villages cultivates paddy through majority of them are small and marginal farmers. Sustainable developments are closely linked with environment and deplete able resources. Polluted air, water and land and global warming have now appeared to be a hurdle to sustainable development. So SEZs should have no place in the map of development for future generations. Sustainable development is essential for the present and future of mankind.