With Magh mela beginning in Allahabad next month,the UP Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) authorities have ordered closure of five tanneries in Jajmau area for releasing effluent in the Ganga. The Boards regional office has also recommended the closure of five more tanneries to the Lucknow headquarters. The Board authorities do not rule out the possibility of more tanneries facing action in coming weeks. A monitoring committee has been assigned the task of detecting tanneries which were still flouting the norms. Regional Officer of UPPCB Radhey Shyam said: For the last five years,we have been keeping a tab on tanneries. As a result,70 tanneries have been closed in Jajmau area. But now their work had become difficult,as most of the existing tanneries are small and situated in densely populated,interior areas of Jajmau,he said. He said the units which had been closed down either did not have even a primary treatment plant,or did not use it and discharged untreated effluent into the river. On their part,the tanners allege harassment by the board. The Treasurer of Jajmau Tannery Association,Ishtehak Ahmed,said: No one wants his unit closed,and the tanneries at Jajmau are all equipped with primary treatment plants,but the Board officials were harassing them. None of the tanneries at Jajmau are directly discharging the effluent in the Ganga.
