New Delhi: Dr Harsh Vardhan sets sights on making India leather export giant
Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Science and Technology, today announced a breakthrough in scientific processes for the leather sector. The “paradigm shift”, in his words, is the result of efforts by scientists of the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), a unit of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
A novel, biodegradable dispersing agent developed by CLRI, enables the chrome tanning of leather with just half the normal usage. This ensures the saving of water by 15 million litres per day in the Indian leather sector alone –and an estimated 200 million litres per day if this revolutionary technology is applied globally.
After a visit to CLRI, this morning, he said, “This development is aimed at multiple benefits relating to in-process abatement of effluent problem, curtailing process steps, huge water conservation, time economy and cost saving.”
He also announced that CLRI has succeeded in fostering an “enzymatic intervention” to complete in just 30 minutes the enabled fibre opening process which till now has taken up to 72 hours.
“This is good news for the Prime Minister’s ‘Make in India’ agenda. Our leather and leather goods industry is on the verge of unique competitiveness,” Dr Harsh Vardhan remarked.
Hon'ble Minister released the 'first copy' of the MODEUROP Colour Card for the Autumn Winter 16/17 season (eighteen months ahead of the season) in the august presence of Dr M O Garg, Director General, CSIR; Prof Dr A B Mandal, Director, CSIR-CLRI; Dr Sudeep Kumar, Head, PPD, CSIR and Team CSIR-CLRI Shoe Design & Development Centre today.
Dr Harsh Vardhan visited various laboratories in CSIR-CLRI. The laboratories were Centre for Leather Apparels/Accessories and Development (CLAD), EXCEL Lab and Shoe Design and Development Centre (SDDC), etc. He addressed the Scientists and Staff of CSIR-CLRI and applauded their efforts to develop technologies and products in the domain of leather technology.
Dr Harsh Vardhan interacted with the industry. The industrialists present were Shri N Shafeeq Ahmed (MD, SSC Shoes), Shri K R Vijayan (President, Indian Shoe Federation), Shri P Gopalakrishnan (Sellam Chemicals), Shri R Ramesh Kumar (ED, CLE), Shri Atanu Poddar (LANXESS India), Shri J Arun (LANXESS India), Mr Tuncay Deriner (Stahl India) and Mr Gopinath (MV Health Care). He appreciated the efforts of the industry and the partnership they have with CSIR-CLRI. This unique partnership is a testimony of development of leather sector in the country. The sector is increasingly becoming green technology oriented due to the efforts of CSIR-CLRI.
Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences and Vice-President, CSIR while visiting the laboratory closely identified this lab and its achievements with the current agenda of the Government in terms of ‘Make in India’ as well as providing essentials to the common man and to provide high science based technologies to the medium, small and micro enterprises. The services have been provided by the lab to test the various chemicals in waste water, which otherwise the industry cannot afford, were identified as one area where the laboratory has made maximum impact. He also appreciated that the laboratory has helped countries like Ethiopia with their technologies and products and have made an attempt to internationalize it’s out-reach. He emphasized and motivated the scientists to use the combination of natural materials such as pine apple leaf fabric, banana fabric with leather forms, which could lead to the next generation in the fashion industry.
As the Medical Doctor, he was particularly interested in the contribution by the lab in developing of collagen based wound/burn care product.
The Hon’ble Minister was extremely impressed and congratulated the scientists for the success story of an enduring partnership among the trinity of academy, research and industry in leather sector, spun around CLRI over a period of sixty six years. He has also noted that the Institute offers B.Tech., M.Tech. and Ph.D. in leather and footwear sciences through Anna University that could set an example for other sectors to emulate to make the Prime Minister’s National Skill Development Programme for inclusive employment generation.
Hon’ble Minister has also visited M/s India Shoes Pvt Ltd., Chennai and appreciated CSIR-CLRI efforts for providing the end-to-end technology knowledge base to the company over the years. As a result, the India Shoes has emerged as one of the major manufacturers in the country exporting leather shoes and accessories. They are poised to emerge with the help of CSIR-CLRI a front runner to contribute for make-in-India effort.
About CSIR-CLRI Achievements
Created just a few months after independence, the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) is a unique research laboratory of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), one of its kinds in the world. Created to provide affordable footwear to our large mass of population, given the fact that our country has the largest cattle population in the world, this Institute has not only developed leather processing technologies and transferred them to the medium and small scale industry but also helped this industry to control the pollution which this industry is known for. Right from inception, the Institute made an initiative with foresight to link technology system with academia and industry. CSIR-CLRI, today, is a central hub in Indian leather sector with the direct role in education, research, training, testing, designing, forecasting, planning, social empowerment. CSIR-CLRI leads in pursuing science and technology relating to leather and delivering desired knowledge base.
CSIR-CLRI has achieved significant milestones in recent years in enhancing the domestic leather sector’s “green image”. These include:
Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.