Effect of Tannery Effluent on Agricultural Holdings An Economic Analysis

Leather industry improves the economic growth by virtue of its export earning potential, also exerts negative externalities on land and water. This paper aims to analyze the impact of tannery pollution on the land utilization and cropping pattern of the study area. The results of the study revealed that the tannery pollution had adversely affected the land utilization pattern and cropping pattern of sample households due to the letting of effluents to the nearby agricultural lands which compelled the farmers to leave their land as fallow and unproductive. Further, the farmers in the pollution zone could not cultivate commercial crops. The farmers had to grow rain-fed fodder sorghum paying little remuneration, which pushed them to subsistence level of farming and also the cost of sorghum was higher (Rs. 16796/ha) in the affected area than non affected area (Rs. 13249/ha). Nearly 40.00 per cent of tanneries were devoid of anti pollution measures. Tannery units must stop to let out untreated water into agricultural lands and farmers in the area must grow the tolerant varieties with suitable soil amendments.