The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board has ordered closure of five more tanneries in Kanpur which were discharging their sewage in river Ganga despite several notices against it, officials said on Thursday.
With this, as many as 69 tanneries in the city have been asked to shut their operations for polluting the river.
According to the Board, despite repeated notices, these tanneries had failed to install primary treatment plants in their units and were discharging polluted water in the river.
Pollution Control Board’s regional officer Radhey Shyam said the orders to close the tanneries have been received and the procedure to shut them down will start on Friday.
The permission to shut down nine more polluting tanneries has been sought from the UPPCB, he said.
Owners of many tanneries claimed that implementation of this decision would affect nearly 50 thousand labourers and leather business worth around Rs. 2,500 crore.
