Although Kumbh Mela ended on March 4, hundreds of tanneries in Kanpur are still closed. The tannery workers are now returning home or finding other means to sustain their livelihood.

Tanneries were closed before the Kumbh Mela in January to stop sewage or industrial effluent flowing into the river Ganga and ensure that pilgrims could have a cleaner holy dip. However, the Kumbh Mela ended on March 4, and the tanneries were yet not opened as Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) did not issue the requisite clearance certificate.