Relocation of tanneries

The government has yet again issued a warning against tanneries in Hazaribagh threatening to shut down polluting factories if they fail to relocate to the industrial park in Savar within the 72-hour deadline. The Industries Minister has said that a failure to relocate could also result in the cancellation of the allotted plots to the factories.

While we recognise and commend the government on its noble intention of reducing pollution by urging factories in Hazaribagh -- declared as the fifth most polluted place in the world by two renowned research organisations -- to relocate, many questions remain unanswered. For instance, with the incomplete installation of central effluent treatment plants (CETPs) that process pollutants and treat wastewater, how will the relocation of tanneries achieve the main purpose of containing pollution? Is it not akin to giving factories, once again, legitimate grounds to pollute the new location? It is incomprehensible as to why the CETP project remains unfinished given that the government took up the initiative to relocate tanneries over a decade ago. The lack of CETPs in designated areas, where tanneries are supposed to shift to, has prolonged the foot-dragging over this issue as it gives owners the pretext to delay relocation of their polluting factories.   

Apart from completing and implementing the CETP project in a timely manner, the government must enforce the relocation of environment-unfriendly tanneries that are contributing to the increasing level of pollution in the country. Furthermore, disagreements over costs and legal disputes between the government and factory owners that are at the core of the conflict must be solved if the relocation of tanneries is to actualise.