Leather and Footwear in India
Tanneries and River Pollution
How chromium and chemicals from tanneries polluted rivers like the Ganga at Kanpur and the Palar in Tamil Nadu, and how courts and treatment plants responded.
Tanning turns animal hides into leather using chemicals like chromium salts.
Pollution
- Untreated tannery wastewater contains chromium, salts and organic matter.
- It polluted the Ganga at Kanpur and the Palar river in Tamil Nadu.
- Groundwater contamination harmed farms and health.
Court actions
- In 1987, the Supreme Court (M.C. Mehta case) ordered polluting Kanpur tanneries to install treatment plants.
- In 1996, the Supreme Court acted on the Vellore tanneries case, applying the “polluter pays” principle.
Closures
- Authorities temporarily closed many Kanpur tanneries during the 2019 Kumbh Mela to keep the Ganga cleaner.
- Some tanneries faced permanent closure or relocation.
Treatment
- Common effluent treatment plants for clusters.
- Zero liquid discharge in Tamil Nadu clusters.
Trade-off
Stricter rules raise costs and shrank some tannery clusters, affecting jobs.
Economic view
Pollution is a negative externality; regulation makes polluters bear costs.
The chromium well
A farmer near Kanpur finds his well water turned yellowish, contaminated by chromium from nearby tanneries.
Thinking leather is a clean industry
Tanning can seriously pollute rivers and groundwater.
Key takeaways
- Tanneries use chromium and chemicals.
- They polluted the Ganga at Kanpur and the Palar.
- Supreme Court cases in 1987 and 1996 ordered treatment.
- Treatment plants and closures raised costs.
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