Known for taking bold steps to solve problems, UP CM Yogi Adityanath is considering another bold move in order to save the river Ganga, by moving the Kanpur Tanneries that release massive amounts of toxic wastes into the holy river.

Although the British-era tanneries in Kanpur had long been identified as a critical source of pollution for the Ganga river, previous governments did not attempt to interfere in their functioning as the more than 400 tanneries provided employment to over 2 million people.

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Last year, the Akhilesh Yadav government had opposed the shifting of the tanneries saying that due to the paucity of land, shifting the tanneries was “next to impossible”.

The Yogi government has approached the National Green Tribunal regarding the hunt for a new site to set up the tanneries which are a major source of pollution in Ganga. NGT however has said that the decision to shift the tanneries rests entirely with the state government.