After hawkers, KMC & police plans crackdown on illegal tanneries in Kolkata

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), in collaboration with the Kolkata Police and the State Pollution Control Board, has initiated a comprehensive campaign against illegal tanneries operating within the city. This decision follows the recent illegal hawker eviction campaign aimed at tackling various forms of illegal activities in Kolkata.

Swapan Samadhar, Mayor-in-Council for the Environment Department, announced that a joint meeting was held today between the KMC, Kolkata Police, and the State Pollution Control Board. The meeting focused on implementing the Supreme Court’s 1997 directive to relocate all tanneries from Kolkata to designated areas outside the city limits to curb pollution.

Despite previous efforts to remove tanneries from the city, numerous illegal operations continue to function in various locations. To address this persistent issue, a coordinated effort is now underway to identify and document all polluting tanneries. The Pollution Control Board has been tasked with compiling a comprehensive list within a month, after which legal action will be taken against the violators.

Swapan Samadhar emphasized that the aim is not merely to shut down these tanneries but to rehabilitate the owners and find suitable alternative locations for their operations. He assured that KMC officials and pollution control board representatives would be accompanied by Kolkata Police during inspections to ensure safety and order. This precaution is necessary as previous operations have sometimes met with resistance and even violence.