DC reviews issues facing leather industry

Jalandhar, December 27

Deputy Commissioner Jaspreet Singh on Tuesday instructed the Punjab Pollution Control Board as a regulatory body to look into the concerns of the industry by taking up the issue with some higher authorities on technical aspects.

While reviewing the issues of the leather industry, the DC directed a joint team of the PPCB technical experts and members of the leather industry to chalk out a plan to visit the sludge wastage dumping site in Dera Bassi. He also expressed satisfaction over the parameters met by the industry while going through the reports of samples taken some months back.

He also lauded the cooperation extended by the industry to adhere to the norms stipulated by the PPCB or other regulating agencies in New Delhi.

PPCB Zonal Office Superintending Engineer Sandeep Bahl informed the DC that there were some issues in the industry, such as the rate of transportation of hazardous waste, which was under consideration.

The DC, who is the chairman of the committee to review and resolve the issues pertaining to leather industry at the district level, said the members from both sides should be involved in the team so that a joint visit could be made at Nimbuan, a sludge waste collection site in Dera Bassi.

The industry representatives also demanded that the company provide billing of sludge transport to the industry, based on past discussions.

The DC assured the industry that all their genuine concerns would be taken into consideration. Industry Department’s OSD SP Longia, Leather Industry Committee president Hira Lal Verma, executive members Stephen Kler, Deepak Chawla, Jagiri Lal and others were also present in the meeting.