KASUR TANNERIES POLLUTION CONTROL PROJECT (KTPC)
  - A DOCUMENTARY

There was a great deal of confusion regarding the project among tanners and community. The lack of awareness and education made it more difficult to convince them about the positive outcomes of the project. Thus it was necessary to educate them about the project impacts.

The majority of the tanning community was indifferent to the activities of the project. They did not realize their economic benefits, global acceptability and overall improvement in the situation, which would result after completion of the project. They even did not realize the fact that diseases caused to people were due to the tannery waste being discharged by the tanneries. They denied their responsibility to participate in the project because they considered this project to be a Nullah. Similarly, general community was totally ignorant about the hazardous effects of tanning wastes and they thought this project as a needless effort.

The Social Mobilizer team was organized to address the key issues with the tanners and public, which would ultimately lead to a solution. The basic purpose was to create awareness among the tanners and people about the positive outcomes of the project.

AIMS OF THE SOCIAL SECTOR

§ Asses key issues related to the tanning industry with the collaboration of stakeholders, project staff, consultants, NGO's/CBO's target community.

§ Prepare plan of action to address the selected key issues.

§ Find out, possible fields of social interventions, such as
· Awareness regarding health and safety of workers.
· Child labour.
· Gender component.

§ Conduct meetings and consultations with the community actors of target clusters.

§ Prepare and disseminate awareness support material to sensitize the target community on key issue related to project activities with the collaboration of other organizations having specialization in this regard.

§ Develop liaison with different stakeholders effecting directly & indirectly on project activities .

§ Help in strengthening the existing institutional structures of the tanners association.

§ Co-ordinate and supervise the required social assessment studies:
· Occupational health & safety of the workers in tanning industry.
· Women role in the leather industry.
· Child workers in the industry.

§ Increase the knowledge of the target groups, especially tanners regarding the purpose of KTPCP.

OUTCOMES OF SOCIAL MOBILIZATION CAMPAIGN

The situation now is that tanners and general public are fully aware of the positive outcomes of the project and they are giving it full moral and practical support. The tanners have agreed to bear 8% of the capital cost and 50% of the running cost of the plant. They have also taken the responsibility of employing in-house chrome recovery plants.

The social mobilization team has also done a remarkable work in creating awareness about the safety and health of workers. The use of safety equipment, which was first limited to only large tanneries, is now being widely practiced. They have proposed a plan to establish the vocational stitching units for the welfare of female citizens. Products like handbags and similar small leather products can be cheaply produced for national as well as international market, in this way.