India’s Supreme Court granted permission on Monday (April 1, 2002) for the West Bengal state government to construct a common effluent treatment plant (CETP) at the Calcutta leather complex after finally annulling an earlier contract.

The project to move polluting tanneries from Kolkata to the new complex has been plagued by problems associated with the construction of the CETP. Originally the contract was awarded to M L Dalmiya and Co, but the firm failed to start construction in time for a Supreme Court deadline for the tanneries to move.