The Ganga River in Kanpur. In Kanpur there are around 350 tanneries which dispose of their poisonous sewage water directly into the Ganga.. Kanpur, India, 22.12.2011
[I]ndia is one of the largest exporters of leather worldwide. In Kanpur, the fifth-largest city of India, there are more than 350 tanneries which dispose of their poisonous sewage water directly into the Ganga River. When visiting Kanpur for the first time, I was shocked by the suffering of the people living and working there. Many children are working illegally in the tanneries, even though child labour under 18 years is forbidden by the government. Spending their lives in toxic and harmful environment, they earn 60 Indian Rupees (1 Euro) per day. They are suffering from symptoms of contamination by chemicals used inside the tanneries like respiratory problems, malnutrition and gastrointestinal diseases. Ajaj, 12 years, is working in a tannery. His father has left the family. The 30 year old mother and two younger brothers are unable to earn money, so he is the only one, who work and earn money to survive. Spending long hours in toxic and harmful environments he earn 60 Indian Rupees per day. Kanpur, India, 27.12.2011Ajaj, 12 years, is working in a tannery. Kanpur, India, 27.12.2011A boy is carrying emty barrels, where chemicals have been inside. Kanpur, India, 23.12.2011A boy is working in a tannery. He preserved and stains the leather with blue chemistry. Kanpur, India, 21.12.2011Ajay, 12 years, is tired after working in a tannery. Kanpur, India, 26.12.2011Block of buildings near the tanneries. Kanpur, India, 27.12.2011Workers during a break in the tannery. Kanpur, India, 23.12.201112. A boy is carrying Buffalo skin into a tannery. He use chalk to protect his skin. Kanpur, India, 23.12.2011Bindu and his friend, both 16 years, are working without gumboots and gloves in chemical water in a tannery. Kanpur, India, 23.12.2011Roshan, 7 years, is living in Kanpur, Jajmau area. He is working together with his family on a dumping side of waste leather scraps on the banks of the Ganges River. They produce from the leather scraps the raw material for fertilizer and chicken food. Kanpur, India, 26.12.2011Men are selling fish of the Ganga River. The river is polluted because of the factorys. They pump contaminated water uncontrolled into the river, so the fish is poisoned by heavy metals. Kanpur, India, 23.12.2011
