The plans of India's largest real estate developer company DLF to set up special economic zones in Haryana and Andhra Pradesh have been rejected by the inter-ministerial board of approvals that approves SEZs in the country.

DLF Universal had proposed setting up a multi-product SEZ in Panchkula over 1,012 hectares. The company had also proposed to set up a 101-acre infotech and IT-enabled services zone in Hyderabad. The Haryana government has not supported the Panchkula plan on environmental grounds.

The Andhra Pradesh government has rejected the proposal because it cannot provide the company land in the area proposed.

The Haryana state government has written to the commerce and industry ministry stating that the exact location of the Panchkula zone has not been mentioned and that "the region is ecologically sensitive".

A company executive confirmed the Haryana government decision and added that DLF would pursue its existing two SEZs in the state. On the Hyderabad SEZ, he said they were yet to hear from the state government regarding the issue.

And while the SEZ gold rush continues, a number of other proposals have other been deferred on account of various issues, including land availability or doubts raised by the state governments. There have been some withdrawals too - a plan for a 80 hectare IT zone at Gurgaon has been withdrawn by the promoters.

Another proposal, by Sweet Home Estate Pvt Ltd, to set up an IT zone in Bamnouli village in Vasant Vihar, Delhi, has not been considered as yet as the state government neither sent any recommendation to the board nor made any representations for the proposal.

The proposal filed by Business Park Town Planners Ltd, Faridabad was also not cleared and the company has been asked to file an application with the state government as the plan was for a "large" SEZ.

A proposal for a 11 hectare SEZ in Siruseri near Chennai was deferred because some buildings have already been constructed on the identified land under the Software Technology Park of India scheme. The board will now decide whether the structures can be included in a SEZ.

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