Effective Waste Management and Sustainable Development of the MSME tanning companies in Kolkata Leather Cluster (Bantala) by SOLIDARIDAD REGIONAL EXPERTISE CENTRE, Switchasia grants programme funded by EUROPEAN UNION

Date- 23^rd and 25^th of November & 28^th and 29^th November

Visual Documentation & Report by Taniya Sarkar

One of the most traded goods in the world is leather, and Kolkata is the nation’s second-largest hub for the production of leather goods and tanning. Kolkata is the center of India’s tanning industry. For the domestic and EU markets, it manufactures leather goods and accessories such as belts, wallets, gloves, and shoes. Despite the industry’s rapid expansion, several pollution problems still exist because clean and green technologies are lacking and created an anti-environmental impression throughout its history. But now that adopting cutting-edge and sophisticated technologies to adhere to pollution regulations has become a necessary step toward the sector’s sustainability, the differences are evident.

The industry has faced significant challenges since the project’s virtual launch on September 23, 2020, in front of important dignitaries from the European Union, Netherlands, Italy, and Germany as well as representatives from local stakeholders and industry. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Economically and manpower-wise, the industry has suffered. The project partners, Solidaridad and PISIE, are working to improve the procedures, practices, and technologies of 100 tanneries in the Bantala lather cluster; however, the implementation of the project has been hampered by the restrictions…