Vedanta Aluminium Jharsuguda establishes Butterfly Park to protect 30+ rare species
13th June 2023
- The initiative reiterates the company’s commitment to conserving biodiversity around its operations
Jharsuguda, Odisha; 13th June 2023: Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of Aluminium, established a lush new Butterfly Park within its premises at Jharsuguda, Odisha. The park harbours over 100 meticulously curated selections of plant species that will attract and nurture more than 30 rare and exquisite butterfly species such as the Common Mormon, Zebra Blue and Danaid Eggfly providing them with a nurturing habitat. The Butterfly Park will further play a pivotal role in providing a thriving ecosystem to local flora and fauna such as rare flowering plant species, birds, bees, etc. Through numerous environmental initiatives like the park under its #GreenHearts campaign, Vedanta Aluminium is creating avenues to nurture biodiversity in Jharsuguda, Odisha.
Vedanta Aluminium firmly believes that fostering biodiversity is fundamental to its commitment to achieving ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) excellence and UN Sustainable Development Goals. By adhering to the principles of ‘Lifestyle for Environment – LiFE’ a Government of India initiative, the company implements a comprehensive range of measures to preserve and restore biological diversity around its operations, including habitat restoration and conservation projects for endangered species. Through initiatives such as the Butterfly Park, Vedanta Aluminium is also contributing to the UN SDG, particularly Goal 15: Conserving Life on Land.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Sunil Gupta, CEO – Vedanta Aluminium, Jharsuguda, said, “At Vedanta Aluminium, we believe that fostering biodiversity is essential for environmental sustainability, and it aligns with our goals of ESG excellence and sustainable development. We are committed to further strengthening our environmental stewardship in collaboration with the local communities to preserve local flora and fauna. The establishment of Butterfly Park is yet another critical step that bolsters our dedication to preserving local biodiversity. By enhancing the ecosystems with our consistent efforts, we strive to contribute to a greener and more sustainable future for all.”
As part of World Environment Week and Biodiversity Week, the company undertook several initiatives in and around its operations under the ambit of its annual, now in its 3rd running year, #GreenHearts campaign:
- City cleanliness drive in Jharsuguda town, in association with the Rotary Club of Jharsuguda
- Awareness programmes on plastic pollution conducted at Asha Kiran, a special education school in Jharsuguda, aiming to educate and inspire young minds to become responsible environmental stewards
- Plantation drive of the vulnerable species Chloroxylon Swietenia
- Employees participated in bicycle rallies and walkathons, representing their commitment towards creating a cleaner and greener environment
- Nukkad Nataks to help spread awareness about the harmful effects of plastic pollution through the engaging medium of drama and storytelling
- Drawing and fancy-dress competitions for children with eco-friendly themes
Through collaborative efforts with local communities, Vedanta Aluminium has successfully planted a large number of trees, increasing the green cover in and around their plant operations and creating substantial carbon sinks in the vicinity of their operations.
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 2nd in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) 2022 world rankings for aluminium industry, a reflection of its 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.
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., 2.37 million tonnes in FY24. 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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This press release contains “forward-looking statements” – that is, statements related to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “should” or “will.” Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets including the London Metal Exchange, fluctuations in interest and or exchange rates and metal prices; from future integration of acquired businesses; and from numerous other matters of national, regional, and global scale, including those of a political, economic, business, competitive or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements.
