Historical Analysis Of Leather In India - Research Paper Example

?Historical analysis of leather in India Introduction The leather tanning industry in India is the third largest in the world. Over half of this industry is situated in and around the Ganges river basin in North India. The industry employees over 2.5 million people and has an annual turnover in excess of $5 billion (Kaul 105). For several decades, the tanning industry has been severely criticized for a number of deficiencies including environmental degradation, animal cruelty and deficiencies in innovation. Sankar, an eminent expert on leather technology at the Oxford University, says that the industry releases harmful effluents and chemicals that pollute rivers and other water bodies (86). Moreover, much of this waste is released in a solid form that cannot be absorbed or disposed off effectively and is therefore contributing to the pollution of the environment. The Indian leather industry is composed of both established manufacturers as well as thousands of cottage industries engaged in the production of various types of leather. In 2010, the industry processed over 65 million animal hides and over 160 million skins to produce leather of various types and quality (Kaul 108). In fact, the latter constitute over three-fifths of the total industrial output. While leather production has existed in India for thousands of years, the modern practice of leather production were introduced by the British rules in the mid-nineteenth century. Over 60% of the industry’s output constitutes hides and skins. Other leather products manufactured by these industries include leather garments, suitcases, belts and shoes (Kaul 95). Sawhney, a noted professor on Leather Technology at the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in Hyderabad, India states that there are more than 2300 tanneries in the country with a combined turnover of $7.5 billion and are primarily concentrated in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and West Bengal (109). The industry exports most of its produce mainly to the western countries, Japan and Australia. The following figure shows the growth of the leather industry in India over the last 50 years. The information in this graphic is of importance as it highlights the gradual growth of the industry, its relative contribution to the national GDP and the extent to which the sector has come to dominate leather production in the global market. Fig. 1. Growth of the leather industry in India 1951-2007. Source: Sawhney, The new face of environmental management in India, 2008. While India remains a top exporter of leather, it has fallen behind Pakistan and Argentina in annual output due to several factors. India has the highest population of cattle and enjoys lower labor costs that are essential for leather production. Such conditions would make one believe that India holds a distinct advantage when it comes to manufacturing leather (Sahasranaman 46). However, despite having the basic raw material required for the manufacture of leather, the Indian leather industry suffers from adequate technology and financial incentives required to operate the industries in a clean and pollution-free manner. Further, Indian leather manufacturers are driven by the incentive to keep costs at the very minimum and look upon treating effluents or utilizing cleaner techniques as additional expenditure (Sahasranamam 50). The presence of favorable conditions combined with the present inability of Indian leather manufacturers in coping with global demand has forced them to adopt cheaper and quicker means of production to enhance output volumes. Such pressures have however come at the expense of the environment. In fact, Jenkins says that tanneries depend on as many as 700 different chemicals to treat and process animal hides, most of which are water insoluble and capable of rendering land and water toxic and unfit for human use (65). For instance, most leather companies situated near the banks of the Ganges River have simply preferred to dump their wastes directly into the river. These effluents contain large amounts of chromium that is highly hazardous and has wreaked havoc on marine ecosystems. Other harmful chemicals that are normally found in these effluents include cyanide, sulphides, acids, salt, formaldehyde and lime (Khan 83). The following table gives an overview of some of the chemicals found in wastewater from Indian tanneries. Chemical Quantity/ton Chromium 4.6 Ammonia 20 Sulphides 12 Oil and Grease 25 Sodium 6 Chlorides 5 Table. 1. Chemicals commonly found in wastewater from Indian tanneries. Source: Kadekodi, Environmental economics in practice: case studies from India, 2009. The above table clearly highlights the large amount of chromium, sulphides and sodium that are released into water bodies such as rivers. Most of these chemicals are carcinogenic, corrosive and have been identified as the primary reasons for most of the health problems encountered in surrounding regions to these tanneries (Kadekodi 197). These chemicals have gradually found their way into the human food chain and have resulted in severe illnesses among surrounding populations due to prolonged exposure. Skin cancers, lung diseases and children born with deformities are some of the secondary effects of these untreated pollutants released by the leather industries. In fact, Kadekodi explains a 2008 study by the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (USCDCP) found that the number of cases of lung cancer and leukemia among people living near Indian tanneries was over 6 times the mean estimate in the United States (125). Kumar says that pollution from tannery wastes is not restricted to the Ganges and affects many rivers in India (38). For example, as many as 40,000 hectares of land around the Palar River that was used for agricultural purposes have been rendered infertile due to tannery related effluents released into the river. Releasing these harmful chemicals has contaminated the canals and underlying water table that is the source of irrigation for surrounding farmlands. These trends have proved disastrous for local farmers who have been forced to sell their barren lands and seek alternative occupations. Contaminated drinking water has also affected the health of local people leading to various gastrointestinal problems especially among children and old people. Blackman says that People also suffer from other chemical-induced ailments like eye inflammation, asthma and lung cancer (142). Consumption of this polluted water by pregnant women has also led to children being born with deformities especially within poorer communities that do not have access to clean drinking water. In fact, workers at these tanneries themselves suffer from similar health problems due to prolonged exposure to these harmful chemicals. Varadarajan undertook an extensive study to study the soil and water compensation near 15 tanneries in the Kanpur region in India and found that most prohibited chemicals exceeded the limits stipulated in Indian environmental laws (97). This clearly suggests that tanneries have flouted laws at will and have solely focused on enhancing output and revenues without any consideration for the resulting harm to the environment. Effluents from these tanneries are also known to contain various suspended particulates and solid matter. According to Khan, these are made up of several heavy metals like Chromium, Manganese and Lead and have a high affinity for oxygen (56). As a result, much of the oxygen dissolved in river water is absorbed by these chemicals causing marine life to suffocate and perish. Stagnant waste also generates poisonous hydrogen sulphide and Ammonia that also leads to severe health problems among those exposed to these gases. Thus, the primary issue with the use of chemicals for treating leather is that they are not absorbed by the latter and are instead released into the local environment without proper treatment and disposal. The Indian leather industry received considerable assistance during the times of British rule, when the government began developing new tanneries in Kanpur and other cities in Northern India. The resulting movement of people into these cities in search of employment combined led to the growth of the industry, which had established a niche by the time of independence in 1947. Sankar says that the shift in leather production from developed nations to the developing world occurred during the 1980s that also resulted in the production of large quantities of effluents in the latter (215). Besides harmful chemicals, solid waste in the form of flesh, shavings and splits is also a source for decomposition and bacterial growth. Indian tanneries were by then renowned for their production and output potential and were considered by reputed brands for sourcing their material. Part of the reason for this shift was the high production costs in developed nations due to stringent environmental laws and the requirement for effluent treatment. Developing countries, on the other hand, had less stringent regulations and did not face stringent oversight from local governments and hence could produce leather at lower costs. Other economic factors such as export restrictions and lack of adequate supply of animal skin and hides also contributed to this shift. Kumar also adds that leather companies in developed countries were increasingly forced to target the middle income consumers as the market for luxury leather buyers reached a saturation level by the 1980s (90). Low cost leather was the only way to attract this new consumer class and the only way to achieve this was by shifting production to low cost countries like India. Cruelty to animals While it is illegal and religiously forbidden to kill healthy and young cows in India, the law has rarely been followed by slaughterhouses in India, which are the main suppliers of animal hides to leather tanneries. Besides widespread corruption among government officials, cattle owners have also resorted to maiming their livestock deliberately in order to override the law and thwart any potential investigations by law agencies. In fact, young cattle continue to be slaughtered at will in illegal and unregulated slaughterhouses that have come up near these tanneries to fulfill their rising demand (Kumar 105). This phenomenon was kept under strict tabs during the British rule when much of the administration was centralized. This helped in easy monitoring of the illegal cattle movement and the necessary actions would be taken by the authorities. Today, most of the animal laws are handled by individual states. While animal slaughter is banned in just six states, it is still allowed in over 14 states provided a ‘fit-for-slaughter certificate’ is provided. Varadarajan argues that much of the illegal trafficking of animals across state borders takes place in an attempt to overcome these prohibitions and requirements of different states. Cattle owners thus try to transport as many animals as they can and this leads them to force more animals on to the carrying vehicles without due consideration for their well-being during the journey (65). While over 70% of leather comes from the skin of cattle, leather is also sourced from other animals including goats, sheep and pigs that are normally slaughtered for their meat. Most of these animals spend a miserable life and are often subjected to overcrowding, castration and tail-docking. The treatment meted out to these animals is much more severe and painful when being transported to the slaughterhouses. Once again, this treatment is meted out to animals owing to massive demand from the tanneries. Slaughter houses therefore use these techniques to force animals into the premises and thus utilize the minimal time in processing them. Varadarajan argues that while Indian laws permit only up to four animals on a regular-sized truck, one can most often witness over 30-50 animals being transported on a single truck (79). This leads to various injuries and most animals are either suffocated or have broken bones by the time they reach the slaughterhouse. The treatment meted out to them thereafter is far more inhuman. Besides being dragged out of these trucks, these animals are often killed using some of the most brutal and painful techniques simply because doing so is much cheaper than sophisticated methods adopted in developed countries. Economic and Administrative deficiencies Developing countries like India also suffer from poaching in national parks and forests due to lax security and a faulty legal system. Endangered species like tigers, crocodiles, elephants and rhinoceros are poached in large numbers for their precious skins and are often treated in illegal tanneries for subsequent sale (Kaul 167). Unlike leather products sold in the west, there is no way for a consumer to tell which animal the leather came from. The government has made no efforts to address this problem thus inhibiting any efforts to contain illegal poaching. Sawhney notes that a major proportion of the demand for exotic animal parts comes from across the border in China, where they are believed to contain medicinal value. A porous border combined with a thriving black market for sale in these banned goods is also fueling this trend to kill more endangered animals (72). Another disturbing phenomenon is that the government does not have a functioning regulatory authority to monitor slaughterhouses in the country. Sawhney alleges that governments, both at the central and state levels, as well as the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) have not done much to improve the conditions of animals or ease their suffering when slaughtered for meat and skin (84). Animal rights groups such as the Blue Cross and the People for the ethical treatment to animals (PETA) have been waging long legal battles with multiple governmental agencies, but nothing concrete has emerged so far from these initiatives. Despite the directives of the Supreme Court of India, the AWBI does not have a regulatory mechanism for slaughterhouses in place to this day. The reasons for this unethical treatment of animals by slaughterhouses are solely economic in nature. The Council for Leather Exports (CLE) has estimated that the price of leather is over 12 times that of meat of comparable quantity (Khan 126). Thus, more and more farm animals are being pushed for leather production due to this highly lucrative trade in skins. Water pollution As mentioned earlier, the groundwater found below the tanneries has been contaminated with many harmful chemicals and has is not fit for human consumption. The industry is also heavily dependent on the use of water and has used sourced water from all possible sources including rivers and groundwater. However, the lack of proper disposal after subsequent use for tanning purposes has meant that most of this polluted water is released into the open only to percolate into the soil and collect underground. For instance, a ton of hide requires more than 45,000 liters of water. Hence, even a small sized tannery utilizes enough water that could have served at least 2,000 people (Kumar 158). The tanneries, on the other hand, have been saying that the current technology is obsolete and that the industry economics do not allow them to treat effluent waste as per government guidelines. Smaller tanneries are further unable to install the necessary waste treatment systems due to the high costs involved. Sankar says that the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) has been working with the industry to develop new systems and workflows that can improve this situation and minimize the pollution to water bodies (52). However, lack of adequate government funding and the required association from the industry is hampering its progress. Part of this problem stems from the long administrative red tape that the institute has to endure in order to secure any funding from the government. This not only takes years, but also renders some of the projects ineffective over time. Secondly, the institute has been unable to attract enough talent into its fold as not many individuals are motivated to work in a government agency due to factors like lower pay, low worker morale, lack of career advancement etc (Khan 115). According to Varadarajan, some tanneries in the states of Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh have proposed the ideas of collective effluent treatment plants that would require minimal investment from each participating tannery (70). While such plants have achieved some success, the technology used in treating wastewater is still ineffective in treating the water for human consumption. The high salinity in the water found in these regions is also causing problems in proper treatment of effluents. Besides liquid wastes, the industry also suffers from the lack of any proper disposal methods for solid effluents. Most of these wastes are generated upon the treatment of the wastewater by the collective plants. In fact, a unit of animal skin generates nearly 20% in the form of solid wastes (Sawhney 57). Currently, this solid waste is simply dumped in open ground which is also contaminating the ground water, especially during the monsoon season. Thus, current practices at treating liquid and solid wastes in Indian tanneries are ineffective and inefficient and ways must be devised to treat them through better techniques. Conclusion The preceding sections have highlighted some of the core issues facing the society as a result of the actions of the Indian leather industry and other associated stakeholders. The analysis has discussed the roles of various entities such as the government, environmental and animal welfare agencies and concludes their actions as some of the primary causes for the massive environmental issues being faced in the concerned regions. The Indian government at both the state and central levels continues to be driven by political aspirations and is ridden with corruption. There is thus no credible oversight over the activities of the leather industry. While the state has enacted some useful laws to contain pollution and animal abuse, these legislations have been confined to the law books. The concerned regulatory bodies are also inefficient and have not been ensuring the proper implementations of these statutes. On the other hand, tanneries and slaughter houses across the country have managed to override the provisions of the law at will and are driven solely by economic considerations. Massive demand for leather products from the west is encouraging cattle owners to adopt all possible illegal means to reap a profit from the industry. The affected parties in this whole exercise are the environment, animals and the people themselves. Lack of proper waste and chemical treatment is causing widespread healthcare problems across major river basins where most of these tanneries are located. Thus, it is evident that the problems due to the current state of the Indian leather industry abound due to decades of neglect and reckless profiteering. It is thus necessary for the government to realize the seriousness of the issue and take steps to tackle all the issues discussed in this paper. References 1. Blackman, B. Small firms and the environment in developing countries: collective impacts, collective action. New York: Resources for the future, 2007. 2. Jenkins, A. Environmental regulation in the new global economy: the impact on industry and competitiveness. London: Edward Elgar, 2010. 3. Kadekodi, T. Environmental economics in practice: case studies from India. Oxford University Press, 2009. 4. Kaul, K. Wastewater management: with special reference to tanneries. Mumbai: Discovery Publishing, 2010. 5. Khan, P. Trade and environment: difficult policy choices at the interface. New Delhi: Zed Books, 2009. 6. Kumar, A. Indian leather industry: growth, productivity, and export performance. New Delhi: APH Publishing, 2009. 7. Sahasranaman, G. Environment management: a study of the Indian leather industry. Council for Leather Exports, 2008. 8. Sankar, M. Trade and environment: a study of India's leather exports. Oxford University Press, 2007. 9. Sawhney B. The new face of environmental management in India. New York: Ashgate Publishing, 2008. 10. Varadarajan, S. Environmental Implications of Leather Tanneries. New Delhi: APH Publishing, 2009. Read More