Vedanta Aluminium intensifies campaign against malaria at Lanjigarh

25th April 2022

  • Kickstarts week-long sensitization programme on World Malaria Day

Lanjigarh, Kalahandi district, Odisha; April 25th, 2022: Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh unit, India’s premier producer of metallurgical grade alumina, has kickstarted a week-long health sensitization campaign for local communities on World Malaria Day. In line with the theme ‘harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives’, the company is reaching out to nearly 12,600 people residing in 28 villages of Lanjigarh, in Kalahandi district of Odisha, through rallies, public participation, intervention in schools, audio-visual messages, and more.

A hilly and forested area, nestled amongst mountains, the Lanjigarh block used to a malaria-prone area, the incidence of which has significantly reduced since Vedanta Aluminium joined forces with the Kalahandi District Administration’s efforts to eradicate the disease. Looking at the lack of awareness about the disease and preventive measures amongst local residents, Vedanta Aluminium has been running an intensive Malaria Control Program in the region. The program aims to empower individuals and communities to protect themselves from malaria through grassroots level campaigns, and in the process save valuable lives. To that end, the company is scaling up prevention and control measures along with sustained efforts for reliable case-detection through robust surveillance, sustained investments for better case management through testing, treating and tracking. Vedanta Aluminium’s interventions have helped reduce the number of malaria positive cases in the region significantly.

Speaking about the program, Mr. GG Pal, Dy. CEO, Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh, said, “We cannot let malaria be a barrier to the socio-economic development in the communities around us. With the belief that our future generations should be able to grow in a malaria-free world, Vedanta has been mobilizing resources to beat malaria by covering the last mile to reach the most vulnerable people. In this fight, we have deployed into action an entire ecosystem of levers, that includes the Vedanta Hospital, our Mobile Health Unit, community development officers, partners and community institutions.”

Appreciating the initiative, Mr. Kamlakant Barik, Secretary – Punaruthan Voluntary Organistion, the implementing partner for the malaria control program said, “Commemorating the World Malaria Day, Vedanta organized various programs such as rally, drawing competition, demonstration of mosquito net use, etc. at the Government Primary School, in Raghunathpur, to make school children and local communities aware about the disease. The company is committed to making Lanjigarh a malaria-free region and we are proud to partner with the company in such a cause.”

Vedanta Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest manufacturer of aluminium, producing half of India’s aluminium i.e., 1.97 million tonnes in FY21. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. The company operates a 2 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) capacity alumina refinery in Lanjigarh (Kalahandi district, Odisha), India since 2007 and an associated 90 MW captive power plant.  With its world-class aluminium smelters, alumina refinery and power plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow. www.vedantaaluminium.com

About Vedanta Limited:

Vedanta Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, is one of the world’s leading Oil & Gas and Metals company with significant operations in Oil & Gas, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, and Aluminium & Power across India, South Africa and Namibia. For two decades, Vedanta has been contributing significantly to nation building. Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta's strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety, and environment. Vedanta has put in place a comprehensive framework to be the ESG leader in the natural resources sector. Vedanta is committed to reducing carbon emissions to zero by 2050 or sooner and has pledged $5 billion over the next 10 years to accelerate the transition to net zero operations. Giving back is in the DNA of Vedanta, which is focused on enhancing the lives of local communities. The company’s flagship social impact program, Nand Ghars, have been set up as model anganwadis focused on eradicating child malnutrition, providing education, healthcare, and empowering women with skill development. Under the aegis of the Anil Agarwal Foundation, the umbrella entity for Vedanta’s social initiatives, the Vedanta group has pledged Rs 5000 crore over the next five years on social impact programmes with a thrust on nutrition, women & child development, healthcare, animal welfare, and grass-root level sports. Vedanta and the group companies have been featured in Dow Jones Sustainability Index, and was conferred Frost & Sullivan Sustainability Awards 2020, Golden Peacock Award for excellence in Corporate Governance 2022 and certified as a Great Place to Work 2022. Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange.

For more information, please visit www.vedantalimited.com

About Vedanta Aluminium Business:

Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.29 million tonnes in FY23. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 1st in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023 world rankings for the aluminium industry, a reflection of its leading sustainable development practices. With its world-class aluminium smelters, alumina refinery and power plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.

For more information, please log on to www.vedantaaluminium.com

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