Tannery relocation making headway

WE note with a degree of optimism that the overall process of relocating 155 tanneries from Hazaribagh, where these were polluting the environment severely, to Savar, is moving ahead. At long last, the 11-year gridlock on the crucial agenda shows a sign of breaking. Some physical progress has been reported from the relocation site. Clearly, there is a palpable need to fast-track overall project implementation as the deadline of completion by June, 2015 is close at hand.

The statistics speak loud and clear about the tasks ahead. Of the 155 factories listed for transfer to Savar, 141 are under construction, of which again only 33 are making any satisfactory progress. One central concern is being addressed in earnest—namely 50 percent of the work to set up the CTP has been completed. That more than 20 factories are complete non-starters is a dampener.

Thanks to the hammering of the industries minister the undertaking has gathered some momentum. Things like allocation of plots at Savar and payment of compensation are falling in place. Close monitoring in tandem with fail-safe coordination needs to be ensured at all costs.

What all concerned will have to bear in mind is that the European Union had given advance warning that unless environment-friendly production regime is followed, they would stop buying leather or leather goods from Bangladesh. Already, South Korea and a few other countries have scaled down their imports of such items from us. We have to step up compliance if we are not to lose the market for some of our major exportables.