Report of the committee on pollution caused by leather tanning industry to the water bodies/ Groundwater in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

Smt. Annu Tandon, Hon’ble Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) has written a letter to Hon’ble Union Minister of Water Resources, Govt. of India regarding the rampant pollution of water bodies and ground water by industrial units especially leather tannery industry in Unnao District of Uttar Pradesh and requested the Hon’ble Union Minister of Water Resources to appoint a special team of investigators to find the facts about the present state of Unnao’s water bodies / ground water, how much of Unnao’s ground water is affected so far and which particular tanning units are responsible for causing pollution to Unnao’s water bodies. The Ministry of Water Resources, Govt. of India constituted a committee under the Chairmanship of Director, NIH, Roorkee, to find the facts about the present state of Unnao’s water bodies / ground water, how much of Unnao’s ground water is affected so far and which particular tanning units are responsible for causing pollution to Unnao’s water bodies. Unnao is one of the major industrial towns adjacent to Kanpur having most of the leather, slaughter house, textile, steel and other industries. Unnao industrial area is situated near Kanpur in northern side of River Ganga having more than 50 industrial units mainly tannery. The effluents discharged by the industries, after passing through a Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP), is finally discharged in the River Ganga. Some industries also have their own Effluent Treatment Plants (ETP). The quality of ground water in the industrial area is under constant threat of contamination directly or indirectly. Remarkable high concentration of chromium in some parts of ground water of Unnao and Kanpur Districts is a common feature in the region. The 1st meeting of the Committee constituted by the Ministry of Water Resources, Govt. of India was held in the chamber of Director, NIH, Roorkee on 16th May 2012 to discuss the various aspects of the problem and it was decided to depute a team of officers from NIH, CWC, CGWB, CPCB and UPPCB to Unnao for field investigations in and around Unnao Industrial Area including dumping grounds on National Highway. The first survey of the Unnao Industrial Area was conducted by the joint team during premonsoon season (21-22 May 2012) and 32 water and waste water (effluent) samples were collected from key locations for physico-chemical analysis. Based on the analysis of premonsoon data, Part – I of the report was prepared and submitted to MoWR. The physicochemical analysis of the pre-monsoon samples was carried out at NIH, Roorkee. The second round of sampling from in and around Unnao Industrial Area was carried out during postmonsoon season (5-9 Nov. 2012) and 106 water and waste water (effluent) samples were collected based on the suggestions of the MoWR and other members of the committee. The physico-chemical analysis of the post-monsoon samples was carried out at CWC (for waste water / effluent samples) and CGWB (for ground water samples). The report has been finalized by the committee in its meeting held on 7th Jan. 2013 at NIH, Roorkee.