Kiera Jefferson
The Ganges River, one of India's longest and holiest rivers, has been facing severe pollution from various sources, including industrial and domestic sectors. One significant contributor to this issue is the large number of tanneries located in the city of Kanpur, which has been a major centre for the country's tannery industry for over a century. With more than 400 tanneries operating in the area, Kanpur has become one of the most polluted sites along the Ganges, as these tanneries release untreated toxic waste into the river. The waste contains harmful chemicals and heavy metals such as chromium, cadmium, lead, arsenic, and cobalt, posing a serious threat to the environment and the health of nearby residents. While efforts have been made to address this issue, including the establishment of treatment plants, the river continues to suffer from the detrimental effects of pollution, exacerbated by climate change, which has reduced its capacity to absorb pollutants.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of tanneries in Kanpur | 400+ |
| Number of people employed by the leather industry in Kanpur | 50,000 |
| Amount of toxic waste dumped into the Ganges by tanneries in Kanpur | 450 million litres |
| Amount of treated sewage from tanneries dumped into the Ganges | 160-170 million litres |
| Untreated toxins dumped into the Ganges by tanneries | Chromium, cadmium, lead, arsenic, cobalt, sulfide, fat, solid wastes, pathogen contamination |
| Other sources of Ganges pollution | Coal-based power plants, chemical plants, textile mills, distilleries, slaughterhouses, hospitals, sewage |
| Organisations involved in Ganges cleanup projects | National River Ganga Basin Authority (NRGBA), Ganga Action Plan, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Uttar Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), Indian Standards Institute |
| Date of first Ganga Action Plan | 1986 |
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What You'll Learn
Tanneries in Kanpur are responsible for 50 million litres of waste daily
Kanpur, a city in Uttar Pradesh, India, is situated on the banks of the Ganges, one of India's longest and holiest rivers. The Ganges has been classified as Category D by the Uttarakhand Environment Protection and Pollution Control Board (UEPPCB), indicating excessive pollution. Kanpur is a major centre for India's leather industry, with over 400 tanneries employing around 50,000 people. These tanneries produce about 450 million litres of toxic waste daily, most of which is dumped into the Ganges untreated. The waste contains harmful chemicals and heavy metals such as chromium, cadmium, lead, arsenic, and cobalt.
The tanneries in Kanpur have been identified as a significant source of pollution in the Ganges. The waste generated by the leather production process, including chromium and sulfide compounds, has severely contaminated the river. Despite the establishment of a common treatment plant in 1995, chromium levels in the Ganges have not decreased and continue to exceed the recommended maximum levels. The ineffectiveness of the treatment plants can be attributed to the shared responsibility between the government and tannery owners, often resulting in a lack of accountability and blame shifting.
The pollution from the tanneries has had noticeable impacts on the environment and the health of the local population. The Ganges has turned reddish due to the high levels of pollution, and the foul-smelling wastewater has made the river unsafe for drinking, bathing, or agricultural use. The health of those living in Kanpur, especially infants, has been affected by the toxic waste dumped into the river. Anjali Dhanvik, a resident of Jajmau, a neighbourhood in Kanpur, shares how she and others have become accustomed to the heavy pollution and acrid smell over the years.
To address the pollution crisis, there have been calls for restructuring the polluting industries, specifically the dense cluster of tanneries in Kanpur. The idea of "unitization," which involves merging multiple polluting tanneries into larger entities, has been proposed as a potential solution to improve water quality. Additionally, social activists like Anna Hazare have advocated for the utilisation of sanctioned funds to create sewer networks, sewage treatment plants, and other infrastructure to combat pollution. The Ganga Action Plan, which began in 1986, was one of the earliest cleanup projects, but the second phase of the action plan was largely considered a failure.
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Heavy metals and toxic chemicals in tannery waste
The Ganges River is considered sacred, but it is contaminated with toxic chemicals and heavy metals from tanneries. Tannery waste contains dangerous levels of chemicals and metals, such as chromium, cadmium, lead, arsenic, cobalt, copper, and zinc. Chromium, in particular, is a serious health hazard, as it is linked to lung cancer, liver failure, kidney damage, and premature dementia. Other processes in leather production generate wastewater with high biological oxygen demand (BOD), total dissolved solids (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), sulfides, chlorides, and other chemicals.
The problem is exacerbated by the fact that many tanneries do not have proper waste treatment facilities, despite regulations being in place since 1986. In Kanpur, a city on the banks of the Ganges, there are approximately 400 tanneries that are contaminating the river with hexavalent chromium. While it is mandatory for tanneries to set up effluent treatment plants, most of them are allegedly lying idle. The treatment plants that are operational can only handle a fraction of the contaminated water produced by the tanneries.
The contamination of the Ganges has severe health implications for the thousands of people living in the area. The soil in Kanpur is also contaminated with hexavalent chromium, which poses a risk to human health if inhaled. Blackouts in the city further complicate matters, as untreated water flows back into the river during power outages.
Some methods to remove chromium contamination from water and soil include using bone charcoal, vermiculture, and salt-tolerant bacteria. However, the overall problem of tannery pollution in the Ganges remains a serious issue, with treatment plants being jointly run by the government and tannery owners, leading to a lack of accountability and blame being shifted between the two parties.
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Treatment plants failing to manage pollution
The Ganges River, considered sacred by many Indians, has been facing a severe pollution crisis due to the presence of numerous tanneries along its banks, particularly in the city of Kanpur. While regulations and treatment plants have been implemented to manage the pollution, they have often failed to address the issue effectively.
In 2013, a survey by India's Central Pollution Control Board identified Kanpur as home to about 475 highly polluting industries, including approximately 400 tanneries. These tanneries generate around 50 million litres of waste daily, much of which ends up in the Ganges. While it is mandatory for tanneries to establish effluent treatment plants, many of these facilities are allegedly idle or ineffective.
The treatment plants meant to manage tannery pollution have faced several challenges and shortcomings. Firstly, the treatment capacity is insufficient to handle the vast volume of contaminated water produced by the tanneries. In 2013, it was reported that Kanpur's treatment facility could process only about 45 million litres per day, while the tanneries discharged approximately 79 million litres of polluted water daily. This disparity between treatment capacity and pollution load has resulted in untreated toxic water being released into the river.
Another issue lies in the division of responsibilities between the tanners and the government. Tanners are responsible for primary treatment before releasing the waste, while the government operates the treatment plants. This arrangement often leads to a lack of accountability, with both parties shifting blame for the pollution. Rakesh Jaiswal, a prominent environmental advocate, expressed his frustration with this situation, stating that the industries causing pollution should take full responsibility for treating their waste.
The unreliable electricity supply in Kanpur has also hindered the effectiveness of treatment plants. Many recycling plants depend on electricity to run their pumps and systems. However, frequent blackouts in the region cause water systems to shut down, resulting in untreated water flowing back into the Ganges. This technical challenge underscores the need for more robust infrastructure and alternative solutions to ensure consistent treatment of polluted water.
The failure of treatment plants to adequately manage tannery pollution in the Ganges has had significant health and environmental implications. The waste from tanneries contains toxic chemicals and heavy metals such as chromium, cadmium, lead, arsenic, and cobalt. These pollutants have severe ecological consequences and pose risks to the health of nearby residents, including lung cancer, liver failure, kidney damage, and premature dementia. The inadequate performance of treatment plants exacerbates the pollution crisis, underscoring the urgent need for more effective measures to protect the Ganges and the communities that depend on it.
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Health impacts on local residents
The Ganges River, stretching across the Gangetic plain south of the Himalayas, has been a site of controversy due to the presence of numerous tanneries along its banks, particularly in the city of Kanpur. These tanneries have been severely criticized for polluting the river with toxic chemicals and heavy metals, posing significant health risks to the local residents. It is estimated that the 400 tanneries in Kanpur release about 50 million litres of waste into the river every day, with only a fraction of it being treated. The untreated sewage is laden with toxic chemicals and heavy metals such as chromium, cadmium, lead, arsenic, and cobalt. Chromium, a hardening agent in leather production, is linked to lung cancer, liver failure, kidney damage, and premature dementia. Arsenic, another common tannery chemical, has long been associated with lung cancer in workers regularly exposed to it.
The pollution from these tanneries has had a direct impact on the health of the local residents. Anjali Dhanvik, a 24-year-old resident of Jajmau's Shitla Bazaar in Kanpur, shares her experience of living amid heavy pollution and an acrid smell. The contaminated water from the river is used for irrigation, leading to soil contamination with hexavalent chromium. This poses a dangerous health risk if the dust from dry areas is inhaled. Blacksmith estimates that approximately 60,000 people are at risk of developing health issues due to exposure to toxic pollution, with an estimated loss of 167,066 years of life, disease, or disability for this population.
The impact of tannery pollution on human health is not limited to Kanpur. A general pattern emerges when examining the global tanning industry. While most large manufacturers in the developed world have good pollution controls, poorly run small tanneries in the developing world pose significant public health risks to local populations. The production of leather often generates large volumes of hazardous waste, and the improper disposal of this waste can contaminate water sources and soil, leading to adverse health outcomes.
The leather industry's environmental and health impacts extend beyond the tanneries themselves. The process of raising livestock for leather requires vast amounts of water and land, contributing to environmental degradation and potentially displacing local communities. Furthermore, the use of huge amounts of fossil fuels in livestock production has a significant carbon footprint, impacting climate change and, consequently, public health.
While efforts to regulate and mitigate the environmental impact of tanneries are underway, the situation in Kanpur and other similar locations underscores the urgent need for more comprehensive action. The health of thousands of residents continues to be at risk due to the pollution caused by these tanneries.
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Water pollution and the Ganges' sacred status
The Ganges River is considered sacred by Hindus and is worshipped as the goddess Ganga in India. It is also a vital source of irrigation for half a billion people in the Gangetic Plain, known as the "rice bowl of North India". However, the river faces severe pollution issues, with over a billion gallons of waste entering the river daily.
The city of Kanpur, located on the banks of the Ganges, is home to approximately 400 operational tanneries. These tanneries have been criticised for polluting the river with toxic chemicals and heavy metals such as chromium, cadmium, lead, arsenic, and cobalt. In 2013, a study found that the tanneries were releasing about 79 million gallons of contaminated water into the river daily, far exceeding the capacity of the city's treatment facility. While it is mandatory for tanneries to set up effluent treatment plants, many of them are allegedly idle or ineffective. Blackouts and unreliable electricity supply in Kanpur further compound the issue, leading to untreated water flowing back into the Ganges.
The pollution from the tanneries has had significant health impacts on the local population. Rakesh Jaiswal, a resident of Kanpur and founder of a non-profit group Eco Friends, expressed his frustration at the lack of improvement over the years. He noted that the treatment plants run jointly by the government and tannery owners have not effectively addressed the pollution issue, with both parties often shifting responsibility.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Clean India Mission, including the Namami Gange cleanup plan, aims to address the pollution in the Ganges. However, the river remains heavily polluted, and the cleanup efforts have been met with challenges, especially in cities like Kanpur, where the tannery industry is centred and is a significant contributor to the local economy.
The Ganges' sacred status in Hinduism adds a layer of complexity to the issue of water pollution. While the river is worshipped as a goddess, it also serves as a dumping ground for industrial waste and sewage. The contrast between the river's spiritual significance and its degraded state highlights the urgent need for effective pollution control measures and stricter enforcement of regulations to protect the health and well-being of both the river and the communities that depend on it.
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Frequently asked questions
There are over 400 tanneries in Kanpur, a city in Uttar Pradesh, India.
The tanneries in Kanpur produce leather, which requires the use of toxic chemicals. These toxic chemicals are dumped into the Ganges, polluting the river and causing harm to those who live nearby.
In 1987, the Supreme Court of India mandated that tanneries in Kanpur must either clean up their act or shut down. Additionally, the Ganges Action Plan was implemented in 1986, and there are currently 36 treatment plants being run jointly by the government and tannery owners. However, these efforts have been largely unsuccessful, and the Ganges remains severely polluted.
