CESC employees take electricity meters of the illegal tanneries on Monday. Picture by Amit Datta

Police along with officials of the civic body, state pollution control board and CESC sealed 11 illegal tanneries in Tiljala, Topsia, Tangra and Karaya on Monday.

The crackdown will continue till all the illegal tanneries have been sealed, said Ajey Ranade, the superintendent of South 24-Parganas police.

Last week, the high court had ordered the state government to close down the illegal tanneries and file a compliance report by December 26. A special officer appointed by the court had put the number of illegal tanneries at 68.

“Till now, we have got a list of 14 tanneries that are illegal. The operation will be carried out in phases. We will probably get the next list shortly,” said a police officer.

Following a plan drawn up various agencies, Calcutta Municipal Corporation officials disconnected the water lines of the tanneries and CESC officials the power connection. The pollution control board officials delivered the shut down orders.

A large contingent of police, including Rapid Action Force personnel, was deployed in the area to prevent any flare-up.

“The owners of the tanneries could not be traced. The notices were served on their representatives,” said a PCB official.

Some tannery workers told the joint team that the units had been shut down long ago.

“We stopped production a long time back. Today, we shifted some machinery to Bantala, where we have been asked to move,” said Bapi Das, an employee of one of the tanneries on Matheswartala Road in Tiljala.

The team, however, found heaps of skin and chemicals in all 11 tanneries.

“There have been several attempts to shift these tanneries. The owners have furnished several undertakings that they would shift to Bantala but have not done so,” added the PCB official.