Notices issued to tanneries for polluting River Ganges

Kanpur, Sep. 17 (ANI): The Pollution Control Board in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur city issued notices to six tanneries for discharging industrial waste into the River Ganges.

Radheshyam, the area officer of Pollution Control Board, Kanpur city said they have issued notices to sixty-five tanneries who discharge their waste into river Ganges.

"Sixty-five tanneries are closed by the (Pollution Control) Board under Water Act and we have sent recommendation against six tanneries. Once the order for shutting down comes, we will shut those tanneries also. This problem of Ganges pollution will not be solved like this until the sewage problems are met and controlled," Radheshyam said on Thursday.

The chief of an association working against the government's decision of shutting down the tanneries said they would protest on streets if the government takes any step against them.

"We will protest on streets and will request the government not to do this. The government should go into the matter. The water will go somewhere or the other, be it Ganges or Yamuna. Where they will stop it? It (government) clearly means to shut them down," said Isfaak Ahmad Ansar, chief of Tannery Association.

Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh visited Kanpur city last week and ruled out the inaction of state pollution control board in working towards cleaning the Ganges.

Ramesh also said that the responsibility of making the river pollution-free would now be entrusted to the Central Pollution Control Board.

The government on September 11 warned factories and tanneries, which discharge waste without treatment into the River Ganges, and said action to shut them would be initiated if they continue to do the same. By Dilip Mishra (ANI)