91 Indian tanneries, located in the district of Kanpur, are due to suspend their activity in a short while: that is mandatory. In fact, Kumbh Mela feast, India’s traditional pilgrimage to the river Ganges, is coming up soon: it will begin on January 14. It is no coincidence that local authorities of Uttar Pradesh, an Indian state led by BJP, the ultra-Hindu party, have already acted, after having formerly planned the quarterly closure of several tanneries based in Kanpur and Unnao. At present, as reported by local press, the only companies which will not be affected by the closing decree are the ones currently running their own waste treatment plant. For the records, in Unnao 15 tanneries have already been closed, while 28 more factories, based in the same district, are going to be sent the closing notice shortly. Reasons for that are the usual ones, and have been duly stressed, once again, by UPPCB, the state Pollution Control Board: the aim is to make the water of the river Ganges, ahead of the forthcoming pilgrimage, as clean as possible (whatever the cost, including the boycott of an entire industry, we remark). 21 tanneries located in Jajmau, an industrial site near Kanpur, decided to voluntarily suspend their activity from January 11 to 21: in doing so, as reported by Indian press media, Kumbh Mela, India’s traditional pilgrimage to the river Ganges, starting on January 14, will take place “in clean water”. Last Wednesday tanneries informed the Regional Pollution Board about such decision: meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh leather business is deeply affected by tensions owing to the quarterly closure imposed by local authorities. According to the Times of India, those companies initially wanted to stop activities just for three days; then they opted for a considerably longer period.
91 Indian tanneries are forced to close, 28 more will stop shortly, 21 close in advance
