Jharsuguda (Odisha;): 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. Sunil Gupta, CEO-Vedanta Ltd., Jharsuguda handed over the leaf blowers to 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, the CEO Sunil Gupta 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 prepared ness 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.”
DFO Lalit Kumar Patra 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 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.
