The pain of Kanpur's leather traders - "Government is harassing instead of encouraging"
Kanpur's traders allege - now only 25 percent of the industry is left
In Uttar Pradesh , which is facing the brunt of demonetisation, GST and Corona, the leather industry of Kanpur had to face a tough stand instead of getting help from the administration. Leather traders allege that now only 25 percent of the industry is left. The owner of the leather factory, Mohammad Arshi, while talking to The Quint said that our industry is very old, the one who is surviving is being harassed instead of being encouraged.
The capacity of the industry has been increased to 50 percent by issuing orders, it was said that you can do production manufacturing only 50 percent. Where people are stumbling from door to door for employment, the situation is such. There was no work in any other industry. During this time our industry was trying to survive, so it was halved. we tried to survive in that too.
Mohammad Arshi, leather factory owner
He further told that after a few days the order came again that your infrastructure (production machinery) has also been dismantled 50 percent. This notice was issued by the department and our industry was closed. The guideline given by the board, that you break and remove so many machines... after this the survey will be done. It was said that when these machines are removed, then orders will be given to run the industry.
Under compulsion, we broke our infrastructure with our own hands, after breaking it was ordered and then we started it again. It was only 6 months that a new guideline was issued that you can run your industry for only 15 days in a month.
Mohammad Arshi, leather factory owner
He said that our capacity was reduced from 100 percent to 25 percent.
It is being said that NGT and Pollution Control Board cracked down on Kanpur leather business in an exercise to stop pollution in Ganga.
On this, leather factory owner Kaushalendra Dixit said that whoever is making such statements is baseless. Industry water is not going into the Ganges river. Our appeal to those who are saying this is that they should come here and tell them from where the water is going.
Whoever is talking like this to defame our work, they are talking absolutely useless, this is a very wrong thing.
Kaushalendra Dixit, leather factory owner
One District One Product Scheme could not get off the ground
The leather traders of Kanpur allege that the One District One Product Scheme has not been able to land on the ground due to the apathy of the officials.
Leather factory owner Nayyar Jamal said that whatever scheme the government announces, it does it with good intention, but no one's accountability was fixed under the scheme. The officers of the district should have been given the responsibility to show the industry by increasing it by 10 percent. It is to our knowledge that whatever funds came, it went back.
The threat looming over the garment industry
Workers are disappointed with the threat looming over the leather industry in the employment-strapped country. Talking to The Quint, a laborer Mohammad Abrar told that only ten days of work are available in a month, which earns 5-6 rupees. Earlier in the month we used to earn 10-12 thousand rupees.
Now I work in three places because we cannot get work at one place, if we get work for ten days in a month, what will we be able to do?
Mohammad Abrar, Laborer
Leather factory owner Kaushalendra Dixit said that whatever government is formed next, it is our request that business should be done completely as before and we should be allowed to work, so that the poor laborers here can be fed and those who are setting up factories. Fill their stomach. Our request to the government is to give permission to work, so that those who are running their business by taking loans, they can get an opportunity to repay the loan back to the bank.