78 tanneries out of 106, located in the area between the small towns of Unnao and Banthar, in the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh, have suspended their activity. They had to shut down for the time being. Judges of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) have imposed such measure. As reported by local press, the NGT made this decision after reading carefully the report provided by a few officers of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB): on May 20-24, they went along to tanneries to make inspections and take some sewage samples. While carrying out a check on sewage samples, formerly taken, they supposedly detected an amount of chrome exceeding limits permitted by law, namely over 2 milligrams per litre. That is indeed one more blow for the district, deeply hit by a 6-month-stop imposed by India’s government, lately confirmed over the past days. In fact, the majority of Indian electors voted again, for India’s leadership, in favour of the Indian People’s Party (BJP), the Hindu radical party, therefore reconfirming Narendra Modi as national leader. Uttar Pradesh tanners are rather concerned about the news: in fact, tanneries based in the region of Kanpur had to suspend their activities, following a restriction measure, whereas the ones running in the towns of Unnao and Banthar, which rise up on the opposite bank of the sacred river, had still permission to carry on with manufacturing. So far at least. For the records, tanners think that suspension of works does not depend on the long-lasting pollution of the river Ganges; they rather believe that politicians, representatives of the Hindu party, intentionally want to undermine meat and leather industries and hit therefore the Dalit, the humblest caste, and Muslim workers, mostly employed in tanneries. “All of Kanpur tanneries are facing big financial problems, owing to closure, which has been going on for six months at this point – remarked Taj Alam, president of the Leather Industry Association, while speaking to the Times of India –. Thousands and thousands of workers, along the supply chain, have lost their job; furthermore, the current situation is heavily affecting the business: in fact, we cannot make finished leather”. Tanners actually fear that tanneries will not open any more.
India, 78 tanneries are non-compliant with sewage treatment. Modi scares Kanpur
