The skin disease and butcher cuts are causing damage to the tune of $22.80 million per annum as 30 percent of hides and skins become inappropriate for export as quality leather. This was stated by Agha Saidain, convener, Hide and Skin Improvement Committee, Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA), while talking to Business Recorder here on Sunday. He proposed that an industrialist with an annual turnover of Rs 50 million should run at least one school near his factory. The number of schools could be increased as per large turnover of a factory owner, he added.
He also said the Punjab governor initiated linkage between the universities and the industry and about seven memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed in the Governor House in this regard among various industries and the leading universities of the province to promote research, education recently.
An MoU was signed between the Pakistan Tanners Association and the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS). Both the PTA and the UVAS have agreed for mutual co-operation in the field of research and technical collaboration for improvement in hides and skins in the country.
Both the PTA and UVAS will pursue a programme of training, research and technical collaboration for the exchange of ideas, skills and techniques of mutual interest as agreed from time to time.
Initially, the co-operation may include facilitation of technical personnel to survey the skin/hides disease and damage caused due to butchers' cuts at the time of flaying. The joint or collaborated scientific research to devise economic measure to control the skin/hides disease prevalent in various areas of the province.
To achieve this objective, the Association would support the university through provision of required equipment, award of internship training to all eligible undergraduate and post-graduate students. The scientists of the university producing outstanding research results shall also be recognised through meritorious awards, he added.
Human resource development by providing training to technical personnel at abattoirs and reduce the extent of damage inflicted to skins and hides, said Agha, adding the leather industry would facilitate training visits of staff and university students to industrial leather manufacturing units.
"I urged President General Pervez Musharraf, who was also present on the occasion of signing of MoU at Governor House, Punjab, to make basic education free for all, and it may also be declared an offence if parents do not send their children to schools. Remedy to all national ailments is free basic education for all on revolutionary steps", he added.
He said: "We have already wasted 57 years and it was for the very first time in the history of Pakistan that present government addressed this issue.
He said the leather industry highly appreciate the keen interest of Punjab Governor Lieutenant General Khalid Maqbool (Retd) and Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in the field of education in the province.