Will sell Thane SEZ flats only to IT staffers from area, developer assures green tribunal Anil Shinde :The Times of India

Developer Hubtown Group has given an undertaking to the National Green Tribunal that they will sell flats in their proposed Sunstream City project in the IT special economic zone (SEZ) at Kopri in Thane (E) to only those working in IT companies within the project area.

In 2013, the area was given the status of IT SEZ and several sheds were constructed. Paryavaran Dakshata Manch, a Thane-based environment advocacy group, in 2014, filed a plea before the NGT for restoration of wetlands in Kopri village, Thane (E) and reversal of CRZ notifi cation from CRZ III back to CRZ I. The advocacy group had recently brought to the notice of the NGT an advertisement announcing the construction of a residential project in the area and expressed fear that third party interests would be creat ed. An advocate for the project proponent told the NGT that flats would not be sold to those working in IT firms outside the area or in other places.

D Stalin, director, NGO Vanashakti, said that in 2006, the Union ministry of environment and forests had initially rejected the Rs 3,000-crore SEZ as the project site (54.23 hectares) was on land classified as CRZ I. Subsequently , on recommendation of the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority , the ministry allowed the site to be reclassified as CRZ III (relatively undisturbed coastal zone, including rural coasts) and approved the SEZ project in December 2006.