KANPUR: A total of 24 drums of the two tanneries were lately sealed on infringement of rules. Despite the power supply cut, these tanneries were found operational on illegal electricity connection in a sudden raid conducted by the team sent by the ADM (city) Vivek Srivastava. The KESCO has, in the meantime, filed an FIR at the Chakeri police station. The ACMs were continuously keeping vigil on the operation of the tanneries. The owners will not be allowed to run their units against norms, he cleared.
The UPPCB’s regional officer Kuldeep Mishra has sent complete reports to the State Pollution Control Board. As many as 130 tanneries were ordered to shut down its function due to ongoing Kumbh Fair at Sangam in Allahabad. Two months are still to go and the tanneries will remain closed up to March 15, 2019.
The owners rue their overseas orders for the leather products were hampered on account of closure. The orders were shifted to the markets available in the neighbouring countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan respectively.
They also maintained that it was the first time such a long closure has been ordered. In previous years, three to four days of shut were implemented. If they were believed Jajmau had a turnover of Rs 7000 crore in a financial year.
Of 402 registered in Jajmau, there are only 249 that are operational, as owners told adding that the Mirza International and Rehman International have been permitted to operate their respective units on condition if their effluents would not go into the river.
As other tannery owners were entirely dependent on the government infrastructure for treatment and disposal of the effluents, they were not finding themselves in a position to either go to the court or arrange treatment on their own capacity.
It was also said that the Jal Nigam was not able to carry out its allotted work on a total of four pumping stations in Jajmau so the onus indirectly fell upon the tanneries. There were as many as 42 big tanneries in Unnao also. which has a turnover of Rs 1000 crore per year. The Jal Nigam had received a sum of Rs 18 crores to repair four pumps but they did not do so. The domestic effluents are also going into the river, as several insist.
