Addressing Environmental Pollution in Kanpur City: A Business Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of environmental pollution in Kanpur, a major industrial city in Uttar Pradesh, India. It details the various forms of pollution plaguing the city, including air, water, soil, and noise pollution, and identifies the key contributing factors such as unregulated industrial activities, automobile emissions, and inadequate waste management. The report specifically highlights the shortcomings of the U.P. government in addressing these issues, pointing out the lack of effective monitoring, enforcement, and proactive measures. It also delves into the specific impacts of pollution on the city's environment and the health of its residents. Furthermore, the report proposes a series of actionable steps that the government could take to mitigate pollution, including stricter emission standards, the promotion of cleaner fuels, improved waste water management, and enhanced enforcement of environmental regulations. The report concludes by emphasizing the urgent need for government intervention to safeguard the environment and improve the quality of life in Kanpur.

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Business Report
Addressing issue
Environmental pollution in Kanpur City
Unregulated Industry Management by U.P. Govt.
Course of Action
Combating against environmental pollutions
Table of Content

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Particulars Page no.
Cover Page 1
Executive Summary 3
Kanpur city and Pollution 4
Air pollution 4-5
Water Pollution 5
Soil Pollution 6
Noise Pollution 6
Shortcomings of U.P. Govt. 7-8
Steps to be taken 8
Conclusion 9
Reference 9
Executive Summary

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Environment is anything that is around us. It includes climate, air, water, soil and other living
and non-living organism. Earth is the only planet that is having environment where life exists.
Over a period of time we have been witnessing changes in environment due to many factors. It’s
natural to have some changes with the passage of time but some changes are due to human being
interferences. Many years ago, the changes was not at that pace that is now. One thing that
accelerated change is “Human Civilization”. Since human being came into existence, it has been
trying to live life good to better, better to the best possible way. The need of human being
increased and that led to inventions and discovery. These all came in form of Industrialization,
Globalization, Liberalization etc. These all phenomena contributed development of human
society and to have a better life.
The development is one side of story, the other side came in form of damaging environmental
balance in name of civilization. Growth of population, better life style, employment etc. have
become important for us for which our environment has to sacrifice something like trees being
chopped for place to stay and industries, river become the source of waste water of industries etc.
This has brought misbalancing of natural mix of atmosphere which we regard as Pollution. This
is now becoming a global issue as everywhere human being has started civilization.
In this particular report we are going to see the devastating effect on environment of one of
India’s popular industrial city Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh (U.P). This city is now facing much
pollution that it is among world’s top 10 pollutant cities. This wouldn’t be possible if the Govt.
of U.P. has taken serious measures against uncontrolled industrialization.
This report will also provide some solutions that government can take to control pollution and to
make the atmosphere clean of pollutants.
Kanpur City- Uttar Pradesh, India

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Kanpur City is the largest city of Uttar Pradesh state of India. It has the population of 2.7 million
with 70% literacy rate. Majority of population is of Hindu religion (78%). By road, rail and
airways, one can reach this city. The place is known for its culture and industries operating here.
This place is called Manchester of India due to manufacturing of clothes and leather works. The
city has more than 17000 industrial units which justifies why it is an industrial hub. The major
problem of the city is air and water pollution due to that many industries. [Anon., 2011]
Environmental pollution in Kanpur City
India’s one of the popular city known to be the Industrial city has undoubtedly given people the
place to stay, the place to work, place to live life better. Since Industrial revolution in India and
even before that Entrepreneurs has found Kanpur as the best place to start industries due to its
good communication system and easy availability of materials. The industrial units have been
increasing day by day due to factors like increase in population, demand for product and
services, employment, better life style, profit earning etc. Each has its capacity so of Kanpur, the
city has now densely polluted because of rising in numbers of industries day by day along side
population. The city has reached the maximum environmental damage that if more damage will
take place then Kanpur won’t be suitable for place to stay. Industrial waste, automobile and
increase in population are the three key factors or causes of Kanpur pollution. [Banerjee, T.,
2012.]
Let us discuss how pollution has taken place in Kanpur city.
Air Pollution
Kanpur has many industries in it like textile, heavy engineering, tanneries, fertilizer and leather
industry, all on the main city. These industries are again surrounded by residential areas. As per a
report, it is found that the air pollution level of the city has crossed 5-6 times higher than
standard rate. [Gupta, U., 2006]

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Causes of air pollution in Kanpur
Industrial cause- The emission of pollutants like SO2, NOx and SPM from those industries are
major pollutants of air.
Automobile- Bad maintenance of roads, busy traffic, road encroachment and increase in number
of personal vehicles are bringing CO2 to the environment much. The increase in diesel and petrol
vehicle on roads is making a serious damage of 142 MT of pollutants per day basis.
Domestic- Use of wood, coal and cow-dung are still there in this city and mostly it is prevailing
among lower and middle class category people who can’t afford LPG or solar gas. This is
sending CO2 and methane to the atmosphere which is causing our ozone layer.
Effect- Major respiratory diseases like Asthma, COPD, influenza, TB, Pneumonia etc.
Water Pollution
The city is near India’s Largest River “Ganga”. This river is not just used for religious purpose
but also all the factories in Kanpur use the Ganga as source of draining out waste material. As
per survey, it is found that almost 100 tanneries has been working near Ganga. So industries and
people jointly making pollution to river which is getting toxic. [Khwaja, A.R. et.al 2001]
Causes of Water pollutions in Kanpur
Textiles and leather industries are majorly responsible for polluting river due to their use of
heavy toxic chemical and metals like Chromium, Cadmium, lead, arsenic and cobalt which can
contaminate water easily.
As most of the people are of Hindu religion, they do cremation activities near Ganga River as
they have religious belief on its purity to the dead person. Thus the waste materials from there
like garland, body ash, polythene etc. are thrown directly to river which is also polluting water.
Effect- Typhoid, Cholera, Dysentery, Diarrhea, Hepatitis etc.

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Soil Pollution
Soil or land pollution has also an issue in Kanpur city. The major contributors of soil pollutions
are tanneries or leather industry and over population. The situation has gone worse that
hazardous waste material which comes out of industries to land, the city has been able to treat
only 1/8 of total, and this says the land is getting contaminated with toxic chemical. In near
future, the land may loss its fertility. [Gowd, S.S et.al.2010]
Causes in Kanpur city
Raw tannery affluent, raw city sewage, post treated water from tanneries for irrigation, use of
pesticides etc. which contain Arsenic, Cadmium, Mercury, Nickel and chromium are damaging
fertility and making it barren. Vegetables, grains etc. are also getting poisonous.
Effect- Asthma, skin diseases, stomach diseases, cancer etc.
Noise Pollution
When you are surrounded by 17000 industrial units in 403KM2, the cluster certainly causes
sound or noise pollution. In addition to that moving of vehicles, running of house hold items,
crowd, these all are key source of noise pollution in Kanpur city. [Singh, A. et.al 2012]
Causes in Kanpur City
The city is getting over crowded day by day sue to no such restriction of staying in India. Since
Kanpur has many industries, people from many parts of India come here to get job which is
causing over population situation. Day by day increase of personal vehicles due to increase in
income level and convenience, the sound pollution situation is arising. Even at home, use of
mixture, grinder, and vacuum cleaner are making noise.
Effect- Hypertension, neural disorder, sleeping disturbance, birth defects etc.

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Why Uttar Pradesh Government is responsible for Kanpur Pollution?
A government is the elected representative body that looks after a particular place or region in all
matters towards its development. Saving environment is also the responsibility of government of
that particular region. But U.P. government has not taken this matter seriously over a long period
and the result of which one of its important city Kanpur is facing hazardous situation of
environmental degradation.
Shortcomings in managing environment
 The monitoring of air quality has not been done on regular basis. In most of the places
manual monitoring is done which provides inaccurate data about pollution.
 As per study of IIT Kanpur, it is found that Government and Pollution Control Board has
no idea about source of air pollution. They are following general causes.
 Government has not taken action against majority of industrial units who are crossing
pollution limit due to political maneuver.
 In name of industrialization, employment generation and tax revenue collection,
Government has allowed many units to open their set up which is contributing pollution.
 Hardly any measures have been taken on use of private vehicle for people, thus people
are using more and more private vehicles for convenience.
 No planning for domestic fuel using for cooking as the city has many poor population
who still prefers coal, wood for cooking.
 No control measures for waste water management.
 The Ganga saving Pact plan has not been implemented properly.
 No restriction of cremation flowing in Ganga water.
 There is hardly any wasteland left in the city where the cabbages of industries can be
dumped. No planning of dump yard.
 No control over use of electronical equipment making noise over 120 decibel.
 Except the pollution control on carbon emission, there is no restriction on use of vehicles.
[Alley, K.D., 1996]

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Time has come to take necessary steps by the U.P. Government before the situation goes from
worse to the worst.
Here are some of the steps that Government can take to reduce the pollution of Kanpur.
Steps for Pollution free Kanpur
 Notification for National Ambient Air Quality Standard to check on carbon and Sulphur
emission.
 Reformulate Environmental regulations since it has not revised for many years.
 Introduction of cleaner / alternative fuels like CNG/LPG/Solar gas, ethanol blend etc.
 Warning to industries not having cleaner production process.
 No Vehicle over 8 years old to be allowed in road and use of personal vehicle will be
restricted to 2 times a day.
 Amendments for waste water management for Ganga by doing processing of waste water
two to three times before its release followed by inspection.
 Ban on throwing waste solid materials on free land and need of permission to dump at the
notified dump yard.
 Noise of plant must be controlled by Noise Pollution control system. No loud music allowed
which is above 140 decibel.
 A punishment of 5 years or monetary penalty for violation of Environmental Board rules.
This is just few necessary steps that can be taken as immediate action to control pollution. There
can be more ways to control pollution. [Dimitriou, H.T., 2006]
Conclusion

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Kanpur has been facing serious issues of environment which is causing severe health issues to
the people living there. Government till date has not taken serious measures to improve but the
time has come to act on environment as they are from people and they live in same. If the actions
is taken soon, the environment will be back to normal condition.
References
Anon., 2011, January,19. timesofindia.indiatimes.com. [Online]
Available at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Kanpur-tops-air-pollution-chart/
articleshow/7315560.cms
[Accessed 22 September 2017].
Banerjee, T., 2012. Youthkiawaz.com. [Online]
Available at: https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2012/03/pollution-in-ganga-of-irresponsible-
citizen-action-and-government-plans/
[Accessed 22 September 2017].
Gupta, U., 2006, May. Valuation of Urban Air pollution :A case study of Kanpur City in India,
Kathmandu, Nepal: SANDEE.
Gowd, S.S., Reddy, M.R. and Govil, P.K., 2010. Assessment of heavy metal contamination in
soils at Jajmau (Kanpur) and Unnao industrial areas of the Ganga Plain, Uttar Pradesh,
India. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 174(1), pp.113-121.
Khwaja, A.R., Singh, R. and Tandon, S.N., 2001. Monitoring of Ganga water and sediments vis-
a-vis tannery pollution at Kanpur (India): a case study. Environmental Monitoring and
Assessment, 68(1), pp.19-35.
Singh, A. and Kohli, J.S., 2012. Effect of pollution on common man in India: a legal
perspective. Adv Life Sci Technol, 4, pp.35-41.
Alley, K.D., 1996. Urban institutions at the crossroads: Judicial activism and pollution
prevention in Kanpur. Urban Anthropology and Studies of Cultural Systems and World
Economic Development, pp.351-383.
Dimitriou, H.T., 2006. Towards a generic sustainable urban transport strategy for middle-sized
cities in Asia: Lessons from Ningbo, Kanpur and Solo. Habitat International, 30(4), pp.1082-
1099.

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