In its extensive investigation, Dialogue Earth reports that Tamil Nadu’s leather industry, known globally for producing high-quality leather, is severely polluting the Palar River, a major water source for thousands of people in southern India.

According to Dialogue Earth the region hosts over 449 tanneries and generates leather exports worth more than $170 million in annual exports and provide jobs to about 50,000 workers.

The report highlights that each day, these tanneries release an estimated 20 million litres of wastewater and over 100,000 tonnes of salt into the river basin and how waste from these tanneries is severely affecting local groundwater, farmland, and public health across dozens of villages.

In January 2024, India’s Supreme Court issued a strong verdict. It found the tanneries guilty of causing long-term environmental damage and directed the state government of Tamil Nadu to compensate affected residents and recover the funds from the industries responsible.

Despite the presence of treatment plants, poor enforcement and unchecked discharge have created a widespread ecological and social crisis.

Read the full investigation on Dialogue Earth here “How India’s leather industry is polluting a major river basin“

Source – Dialogue Earth