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NMCG partners with Solidaridad Multi-Stakeholder Platform for sustainable growth of Kanpur-Unnao leather Cluster

NMCG has partnered with Solidaridad to launch the Multi-Stakeholder Platform for sustainable growth of the Kanpur-Unnao Leather Cluster. Solidaridad convened a Multi-Stakeholder Platform, a unique public-private partnership in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. This was chaired by Shri D.P Mathuria, Executive Director, National Mission for Clean Ganga, Government of India. 

    Tanneries in Kanpur area have been a priority for Ganga rejuvenation and a comprehensive project of common effluent treatment plant has been taken up under Namami Gange for the Jajmau Tannery cluster alongside arrangement for conveyance, chrome recovery and pilot ZLD Plant. Attention is also on improving processes within the tanneries to make them more green and sustainable. Solidaridad is one such agency to help in this. 

    Solidaridad, under its flagship programme of pollution prevention in the mid-Ganga landscape, has formulated the Platform to bring together a diverse group of representatives from policy institutions, technical agencies and experts, industry representatives and CSOs to collaboratively address the central theme of the platform: ‘Sustainable Way Forward of Kanpur-Unnao Leather Cluster’. The programme leverages its success factors from its Indo-Dutch expertise to conduct pilot demonstrations of proven eco-friendly and commercially viable technologies. Central Leather Research Institute, Stahl has already established a number of pilot demonstrations to minimise total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, Chromium, water consumption and encourage measures for Occupational Health and Safety in the industries and utilization of solid wastes generated by tanneries into value added products like lime sludge into paver tiles, leather trimmings into belts, fleshings into tallow etc. This programme is currently working with around 100 tanneries in the Kanpur-Unnao Leather Cluster and will soon be expanding to the other important leather geography of India and adjoining countries.  

    The Platform will meet on a quarterly basis to plan and design the roadmap for requisite initiatives in the leather cluster and monitor the status and discuss challenges at the ground level with the stakeholders. 

   The event witnessed a proactive discussion among representatives from National Mission for Clean Ganga , Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Department of MSME, Kanpur, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, CSIR-CLRI, Council for Leather Exports, and Industry Associations, etc. The stakeholders exchanged best practices regarding the techno-commercial viable solutions to minimize pollution at source, reduce overall water use and optimize the effluent water treatment. The Platform will complement the larger objectives of the National Mission for Clean Ganga. 

    At the launch event, Shri Mathuria said “It is encouraging to see such a broad group of stakeholders coming together to jointly address the issue of pollution in the Ganga Basin. The exchange of information is a promising start and will hopefully lead to a  positive impact in the coming future.”  

     Mr Tatheer Zaidi, Program Head- Leather, Solidaridad Asia in his address apprised that Solidaridad has received encouraging support and responses from tannery stakeholders after demonstration of pilot units to address the key effluents viz. total dissolved solids, total suspended solids, Chromium etc. The multi stakeholder platform will be instrumental in upscaling the efforts which will enable the holistic growth of the cluster. He also thanked NMCG for chairing the platform and UPPCB for co-chairing the same.