Vedanta Jharsuguda provides equipment to District Forest Office to curb forest fires
7th November 2022
Jharsuguda, Odisha; 7th November 2022: Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, provided leaf blowers to the District Forest Office, Jharsuguda to aid the district administration’s efforts at mitigating forest fires in the vicinity. Mr. Sunil Gupta, CEO-Vedanta Ltd., Jharsuguda handed over the leaf blowers to Mr. Lalit Kumar Patra, District Forest Officer, Jharsuguda. With most fire incidents starting as ground fires caused by accumulation of inflammable materials such as dry leaves and twigs, simple yet effective measures such as leaf blowers help in preventing forest fire incidents to a great extent.
Speaking on Vedanta Aluminium’s safety-first culture, Mr. Sunil Gupta, CEO – Vedanta Ltd., Jharsuguda said, “At Vedanta Aluminium, safety of our people and partners is our foremost priority and we believe in extending our culture of care beyond our operations. Initiatives like this, which support the local administration in disaster preparedness is one of the many ways through which we help safeguard our communities. The ethos of Zero Harm, Zero Waste and Zero Discharge are instilled in our DNA and we work closely with the government and the community, to bolster the safety quotient at our operations as well as beyond.”
Mr. Lalit Kumar Patra, District Forest Officer, Jharsuguda, said, “Forest fires increases during the autumn and winter months and are aggravated by dry leaves, which may fuel the fire even more. I commend Vedanta for coming forward with this initiative and supporting the district administrations efforts in preventing forest fires in the region.”
Vedanta Aluminium is working extensively towards creating a safer workplace and community by constantly bolstering and enhancing its Fire Safety Management System with advanced technologies and environmental safeguards. Some notable safety practices by the company are –
- Sankalp: Sankalp is the Safety Culture Transformation Programme implemented by Vedanta Aluminium across all its operations, including Jharsuguda, in partnership with DuPont Sustainability Solutions. The program prioritizes ‘Fire Safety Management Procedure’ that is aimed at prevention and control of fire related incidents governed by regulatory and statutory compliance.
- Agnivahini: An all-women fire-fighting team ‘Agnivahini’ at Jharsuguda, who have been meticulously trained to act efficiently and effectively during emergencies, offering off-site emergency response support to the local administration and community during grass fires and forest fires, thunderstorms, monsoons, etc.
- Lightning Detection System: An advanced, first-of-its-kind lightning detection & protection system in Katikela Ash Dyke which detects storm activity up to a distance of 40 kms, and alerts 3-5 minutes in advance.
- Mock Drills: Conducting regular safety interventions through emergency preparedness mock drills organized in collaboration with National Disaster Reduction Force (NDRF) and Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA)
- Awareness Sessions: Lightning and thunderstorm awareness session in nearby colleges and Anganwadis at Bhurkamunda about the do’s – don’ts, myths, facts, and safety guidelines; safety awareness programs at Kurebaga and Banjari villages on how to prevent bush fire, handle LPG safely, use fire extinguishers with demonstrations and other related safety measures.
Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.26 million tonnes in FY22. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 4th in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) 2021 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., 2.29 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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