Discussions are ongoing to expand ‘hair saving’ technology to clusters across India, stated a UNIDO official on Wednesday. This in attempt to apply clean tanning technologies to the leather industry.
National project coordinator M Vishwanathan, head of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation in India, said “as many as eight pilot projects demonstrating as many clean technologies are running in 21 tanneries in Kanpur city".
While on the sidelines of CII Green Industry Conclave, Vishwanathan said: “When the rawhide hair dissolves in water, it contributes to pollution. So we have used a technology called hair save as it saves the hair from going into the water.”
He further said: “We have introduced to tanneries for the first time in India. We already had a discussion with the government and there is a positive indication so we are planning to take it forward. The project is sponsored by the government of India.”
Discussions are ongoing to apply the technology to four clusters – Bengal, Jalandhar (Punjab), Chennai and Uttar Pradesh.
Changing the mindset of workers is a huge challenge while implementing new technological interventions, explained Vishwanathan. He added “that is why we went for pilots so they could see the results and then consider using them”.
