The Hindu Business Line : Carve out composite policy for land issues, says Bengal industry

Taxing issues
Existing industries in and around the Khardah area are not able to expand, hamstrung by both shortage of land and pressures from the cash-rich real estate lobby.
It is felt that if fresh real estate development is allowed in the area, it may jeopardise the scope for fresh jobs in industries which are poised for expansion in the area.

Mohan Padmanabhan

Kolkata, April 16 It seems to be a Catch-22 situation for the West Bengal Government insofar as availability of land for industrial purposes is concerned. Even though the State Government, having realised the importance of new industries for creation of fresh employment, is working overtime to find fresh land for both new industries and expansion by existing industries, it also seems to be doing precious little to guard against real estate development in declared industrial areas, which may also pose problems for the local municipality.

Land shortage

Industry sources told Business Line that the State Government should study the problem of existing industries not able to expand (because of land shortage) and carve out a composite policy for land issues in West Bengal. On the flip side, it is feared, industries not able to expand may stagnate and become sick, or shift out.

Industry groups in the Khardah industrial belt, while appreciating the efforts of the Government to find land for the upcoming industries, are peeved that existing industries in and around the Khardah area are not able to expand, hamstrung by both shortage of land and pressures from the cash-rich real estate lobby.

The problem, according to Mr J. Banerjee, Head of Personnel and Administration of Electrosteel Castings Ltd (among the large industries in the area along with Texmaco, Esab India Ltd, Hindustan Heavy Chemicals Calsilks, Jaishree Chemicals etc,) was that a small section of industrialists favour real estate more than revival of industry, depriving the jobless in the factory area of fresh jobs.

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions, which champions the interest of the labour, has also opposed the move to convert industrial land for high-rise residential buildings in the factory area, going by the recent gate meetings held in Khardah, where local leaders have demanded that industrial land should be used for industrial purpose only.

The local residents Business Line spoke to recently also clarified that they were opposed to real estate development in a declared industrial area, as it may lead to separate sets of problems with regard to environmental and other problems like sewage etc.

Real estate development

It is felt that if fresh real estate development is allowed in the area, it may jeopardise the scope for fresh jobs in industries which are poised for expansion in the area. The Khardah Municipality had certified that factory premises of industries in the area fell under the Industrial Zone, as shown in CMDA’s Development Control Zones map of Khardah municipal area.

The municipality office had earlier rejected the application for clearance of a building plan in the area by a local industry group, which had remained sick for a number of years, and now allegedly moving into real estate development.

Mr Braja Gopal Saha, Chairman of Khardah Municipality, told Business Line it was not legally possible (under existing provisions) to accord permission for conversion of industrial land into non-industrial. “We feel that if new residents come in large droves into an industrial area and start complaining about problems of smoke pollution (from the industrial chimneys, water contamination etc), we may not be able to handle this to their satisfaction.”

More Stories on : Real Estate & Construction | West Bengal

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page