Indian tanneries closed prior to festival

The government of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has ordered the closure of 264 tanneries on the banks of the River Ganges for three months from December 15th 2018, to avoid effluent being released into the river. This is an attempt to provide clean water in time for the January 2019 ‘Kumbh Mela’, when Hindu pilgrims will bathe in the river. The tanneries are located in Kanpur’s Jajmau suburb and Unnao – both upstream of the festival’s location, and Hindu seers had threatened to boycott the ‘Shahi Snans’ (royal bathings) due to the high levels of pollution. The regional head of the Council of Leather Exports disagrees with the decision, saying that it would be a huge blow to the leather industry in Kanpur and Unnao.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 3 of the October 2018 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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