Kashmir leather workers in trouble – level 2
23-01-2025 07:00
The leather industry in Kashmir is in trouble. A ban on cattle slaughter in 2014, the COVID-19 pandemic, and low international demand caused big problems for tanneries.
Prices for animal skins dropped a lot, and factory owners couldn’t pay for things like electricity and worker wages. The 2014 ban caused heavy losses. The top court lifted the ban in 2017, but many factories already closed. Now, unemployment in the region is three times higher than in the rest of India.
The government promised to help the leather industry, but local business owners say things are still the same. They want higher taxes on imported animal skin to reduce competition. Many are waiting for change to save their business.
Difficult words: slaughter (killing animals for food), demand (a need for products or services), tannery (the place where people make leather), competition (people or businesses trying to do better than others).
You can watch the original video in the Level 3 section.
What are some of the factors that have contributed to the troubles faced by the leather industry in Kashmir and what solutions are local business owners proposing?
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