CONTENTS 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Background 1 1.2 Need of the study 6 1.3 Research Questions 6 1.4 Aim of the study 6 1.5 Objectives 6 1.6 Methodology 7 1.7 Scope and Limitations 8 2 Literature Review 10 2.1 Background of Kanpur city 10 2.2 Leather Industry 10 2.3 Leather tanning – Process, Pollution & Health Hazards 12 2.4 Regulatory Efforts 15 2.5 Methods to Control Waste Water Effluents from Tanneries 16 2.6 Guidelines for Leather Technology 17 2.7 Effect of Regulatory, Legislative and Technical Efforts in controlling pollution 18 2.8 Tanning Industry in India 19 2.9 Factors promoting growth of the leather sector in India 21 3 Leather industry- International & India 24 3.1 International standing of leather industry 24 3.2 Indian Leather Industry in the International Market 26 3.2.1 Primary centres for leather production in India 27 3.2.2 Product wise contribution in India 28 3.2.3 Employment in the leather industry 29 4 Kanpur Leather & Tannery Profile . 31 4.1 History of Kanpur leather industry 31 4.1.1 Major Clusters- Overview of Unnao and Jajmau 38 4.1.2 Tanneries- Old and New 39 4.2 Tannery profiles 40 5 Environmental Concerns 48 5.1 Supreme Court Decision in M.C Mehta vs Union of India & Ors . 50 5.2 Groundwater . 52 5.3 Surface water 57 5.4 Agriculture 59 5.4.1 Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum vs the Union of India & Ors 61 6 Socio Economic conditions of tannery workers 64 6.1 Living conditions . 64 6.2 Working Conditions 76 7 Stakeholder opinion and challenges faced by the industry 87 7.1 Stakeholder viewpoints . 87 7.1.1 Workers & Villagers 87 7.1.2 Tanneries and Leather Industries . 88 7.1.3 Governmental organisations 89 7.2 Challenges faced by the tanneries. 89 8 Steps taken to mitigate the effects of the tanneries 97 9 Findings and recommendations 100 9.1 Findings 100 9.2 Recommendations 103 9.2.1 Separating responsibilities of Government and tanneries 103 9.2.2 Upgradation of existing infrastructure . 104 9.2.3 Setting up a monitoring mechanism 106 9.2.4 Co-ordination with support institutions 108 9.2.5 Alternate source of water for irrigation 109 9.2.6 Involvement of NGOs 110 10 Conclusion 112 11 Bibliography 114 12 Questionnaire sample 118