Report by Odisha Diary bureau, Bhubaneswar: Leading steel maker of India Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL) has been conferred with ‘Green Corporate Award’ in the sixth edition of Odisha Environment Congress held at Bhubaneswar today.

Mr.Prashant Kumar Hota, Executive Vice-President and Head of Corporate Communication received the award from a panel of illustrious environment lovers consisting of Magsaysay Awardee and Waterman of India Dr.Rajendra Singh, Former Administrators Mr.Sudhansu Mishra, Gokul Chandra Pati, R.N. Panda, Aurobindo Behera and other senior environmentalists like Mr. Joe Mediath and SudarshanDas.

JSPL has bagged the award for its environmental initiatives like adoption of environment friendly technology, plantation drive, watershed management programme, pollution control initiatives and others that helps in lessening carbon emission. The Awardees have been selected by a team of juries headed by Former Chief Secretary of OdishaMr. SB Mishra.

Congratulating the Odisha team Executive Director and Head of Mining & Minerals Mr. Manish Kharbanda said, “JSPL, inspired by the vision of its Chairman Mr Naveen Jindal has been pursuing its mission for a Green Planet. We are committed for protecting our environment and reduce the carbon footprint. Our operations across all locations in Odisha are designed with latest technology to minimise the emission level. Besides we have taken several measures like zero discharge system, waste recycling, massive plantation drive , protecting personal hygiene and for reduction of pollution and Integrated Watershed Development for farming families ".Complementing the employees and the local Community Mr D.K. Saraogi , Executive Director and Location Head , JSPL, Angul " the partnership of the Community with the JSPL has motivated us to implement the participatory watershed development Programme over 3500 acre in collaboration with NABARD focusing on control of soil erosion and ground water recharge benefiting about 2000 farming families . It is an epoch making step by a large Industry to work for sustainable Rural agricultural Production system at such a scale”

Odisha Environment Congress is being organised by HDF-Centre for Development Action and Research, Bhubaneswar and Centre for Environment and Development, Thiruvananthapuram.

JSPL has two major facilities in Odisha, a 6 MTPA Integrated Steel Project at Angul and a 9.0 MTPA Pelletisation Complex at Barbil. At its Angul mega steel project JSPL has adopted multiple strategies to decrease pollution and protect environment right from its plant design. It has used Coal Gasification Technology instead of the traditional Blast Furnace Technology to minimize waste. It passionately promotes fly-ash bricks to reduce soil degradation. The plant has been designed as a zero discharge plant, managing all is waste. JSPL has also installed online ambient air quality monitoring stations around its factory to monitor air quality, with real time data being linked to Odisha state pollution control board. The steel maker has set up India’s largest pelletisation complex at Barbil in Keonjhar district.

This pelletisation plant itself is an environment friendly initiative as it makes the pollution causing the low grade iron fines usable, thus keeping the environment clean and conserving iron ore reserve.

JSPL under the aegis of its CSR Arm, JSPL Foundation, has undertaken plantation of more than Six Lakh Plants inside in all its business location and periphery. In recent past, JSPL, Odisha Units have bagged several coveted awards such as the Golden Peacock CSR Award, Genentech Platinum Awards for CSR & HR, OTV CSR Award for Best CSR, India CSR Community Initiative award, Odisha INC Green Award and many others.