(a) whether people living near the leather tanneries are suffering from serious skin infections due to untreated water being jetted in the nearby rivers;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the action/steps taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE. (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)
(a)to (c) There is no information regarding the peoples suffering from skin diseases due to discharge of untreated waste water of Tanneries. However, due to inadequate treatment capacity of the existing common effluent treatment plant (CETP), untreated waste water from leather tanneries clusters in Jajmau (Kanpur), is discharged into rivers as overflow from the waste water collection drains. About 26 MLD waste water is generated, part of which is treated with sewage in the CETP and discharged on land for irrigation after mixing with treated sewage. The remaining untreated waste from tanneries is discharged into Ganga River.
CPCB has issued direction under Section 18(1)(b) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 to the Uttar Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) U/s on 25.10.2014 to ensure up-gradation of the CETP located at Jajmau (Kanpur). Further, in compliance of CPCB`s directions, UPPCB has issued directions under section 33 A of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 to the CETP Society located in Jajmau (Kanpur) for up-gradation of the CETP. Directions under Section 5 of Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986 have also been issued to 105 non-compliant tanneries and 2 tanneries CETPs in last 3 years.