101 export-oriented leather units get DIC’s nod to operate

Kanpur: The leather industry of Jajmau got a booster when the district Industries centre ( DIC) on Tuesday granted permission to around 101 export oriented leather units to run their business.
The DIC had earlier granted permission to 24 export oriented leather units to start production. The industries department had so far issued work orders to 125 units. The sources in the industries department indicated that the tanneries too might get permission to start production in the next phase.
Joint commissioner industries Sarveshwar Shukla said that permission had been granted to export oriented leather units and would soon issue work orders. The process for opening tanneries has begun, and permission would be granted to them after the industries department got report by pollution control board.
Regional pollution control board officer SB Franklin said, “The board has already started verification of tanneries and there are all possibilities that the units which are outside the hotspot area might get permission to operate, but for that they have to give a certificate that they had contributed in raising the 20 mld sewage treatment plant”. The industries involved in dry tanning and other work would be out of the ambit, he added.
The tannery industry is passing through a difficult phase since Kumbh Mela was held in Prayagraj. They are also suffering due to non availability of raw materials and chemicals. Their hardships have increased in the lockdown period as their products could not be shipped from ports and the raw material (hides) reached in the rotten condition.
According to regional chairman, Council for Leather Export, Jawed Iqbal, the leather units could not get payment from oversees traders because their orders had been locked in ports and their raw material almost destroyed. “In fact they are suffering double loss. The permission to open the export oriented units will give a new lease of life to the leather industry”, he added.
UP industry minister Satish Mahana said that production in export oriented units had started and soon tanneries too would get permission for the same.
Nayyar Jamal, a leather industry owner, said that the government should give unconditional permission to the registered units and pass orders that small industries could run their units without giving any declaration.
General secretary, Leather Industries Welfare Association Asad Iraqi while welcoming the move said that permission to start slaughter houses should also be given to make easy the availability of raw material.