SAFETY TOWN HALL MEETING AT HZL

Safety Town Hall was organized at Head Office, Udaipur on 1st December, 2017. The program started with a screening of a heart touching short film as a safety contact aimed at increasing awareness on importance of safety. During the program, Mr. Sunil Duggal – CEO, HZL emphasized on a re-audit of lifting & shifting practices for further improvement in rigging practices as well at Hindustan Zinc. Also present were Mr. Naveen Singhal - Director, Projects and Mr. Dilip Pattnayak - Head HR during the program along with other senior management officials.
The employees from all the units joined through 12 TP/VC and 8 webcasts. More than 2000 employees participated in the Town Hall.

HINDUSTAN ZINC TO SPEND RS. 80 CRORES ON EXPANSION OF SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT TO 60 MLD IN UDAIPUR

Sustainability has always been the core value of Hindustan Zinc and all its units operate on Zero Discharge. This Sewage Treatment Plant is a significant step towards conservation of water, care for environment and a step towards zero discharge in the lakes. 

In a major relief to the people of City of Lakes, Udaipur, Hindustan Zinc will be signing an agreement with Udaipur Smart City Limited on 24th June 2017 to set-up another 40 million litres per day (MLD) capacity Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in Udaipur. It will prove to be a major step towards treatment of domestic sewage and water conservation in Udaipur.

Hindustan Zinc, India’s largest and world’s leading integrated Zinc-Lead-Silver producer had already commissioned a 20 MLD STP in Udaipur in 2014. With the additional commissioning of 40 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant, the total capacity of Sewage Treatment Plant will be now 60 MLD.

Hindustan Zinc will be signing an agreement in this regard with Udaipur Smart City Limited on 24th June 2017. The ceremony of laying the foundation stone will be held on 25^th June 2017.

On this investment by the company, CEO of Hindustan Zinc, Sunil Duggal said, “The expansion in Sewage Treatment Plant will bring the much required relief to the domestic sewage of Udaipur. Hindustan Zinc has already commissioned Sewage Treatment Plant of 20 MLD capacity in 2014, and currently, we are adding Sewage Treatment Plant of 40 MLD capacity of which Sewage Treatment Plant of 25 MLD capacity will be constructed at Eklingpura, and two decentralized Sewage Treatment Plants with combined capacity of 15 MLD will be constructed along Ayad. The company is expected to spend Rs. 80 crores for this project.”

Earlier while installing the 20 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant, which was commissioned in 2014, the company had invested Rs. 170 crores that involved expenditure pertaining to laying the pipelines for carrying the sewage to the plant.

Udaipur city has been shortlisted as one of the Smart Cities in India and the treatment of domestic sewage will be a boon to the city. In addition to treating the sewage as per its capacity, in case USCL provides more than 25 MLD of sewage, Hindustan Zinc will also treat this sewage as per feasibility.

The construction of 40 MLD capacity Sewage Treatment Plants will be based on Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) process and have a provision for re-use of 50% treated water for Udaipur city. 

Hindustan Zinc has always been conscious of environment and has thus pioneered in adopting clean green technology in running its operations. Saving water has always been a focus area for Hindustan Zinc. Hindustan Zinc has persistent focus on minimal impact on environment and the company practices the policy of reduce, recycle, reuse, and reclaim.Not just treating sewage, these Sewage Treatment Plants, in the process will be generating a large quantity of manure that will be sold to the local bodies.

In its other projects to propagate water conservation, Hindustan Zinc has installed Effluent Treatment Plants with Reverse Osmosis at all smelting locations resulting in reducing fresh water foot prints of the company and also maintaining zero discharge status. The company has also constructed its first Adiabatic Cooling Towers (ACTs) to replace the conventional cooling towers. Adiabatic Cooling Towers reduce water wastage and also reduce the fresh water consumption.

Sustainability has always been the core value of Hindustan Zinc and all its units operate on Zero Discharge. This Sewage Treatment Plant is a significant step towards conservation of water, care for environment and a step towards zero discharge in the lakes.

“We are living on this planet as if we had another one to go…”-Sunil Duggal-CEO, Hindustan Zinc

Sir David Frederick Attenborough, veteran broadcaster and naturalist said, “An understanding of the natural world and what’s in it is a source of not only a great curiosity but great fulfilment. It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement, the greatest source of visual beauty, the greatest source of intellectual interest.  It is greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.”

I remember on my first birthday, my father planted a sapling. It was a festivity for the entire family. As I was growing I had a unique attachment with that sapling, which was growing with me, rather taller than me. Since many years it has been a symbol of love and affection as my childhood memories have been associated with it.

The thought of planting sapling was never out of environment protection but for affection as we knew nature was quite capable of taking care of itself and most importantly of us.

I always understood two aspects of nature - its ‘significance’ and its ‘power’.  I use the word ‘power’ to describe the nature because the nature is not defenceless. It does not need our mercy. The way we care for it today is the same way it is going to deal with us tomorrow.

Today on the occasion of World Environment Day, I am not going to narrate methods to protect environment or nature or save endangered species or develop biospheres & horticulture parks or beautify land through reclamations and plant more trees. That I know and believe that all of us are dedicated to save energy, water and we are using best of global technology to make our operations as much environment caring.

Today, I want to express my perspective of care for environment, beyond compliance.

You would have noticed, where the quality of life goes down for the environment, the quality of life will go down for the humans.

We are living on this planet as if we had another one to go.

Sometimes, just take a break and think - what have we given back to the nature who has given us its heart and soul from past millions of years.

Albert Einstein said, Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. American naturalist, author - John Muir said, ‘in every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.’

I feel more confident than ever that the power to save the planet rests with the individual consumer. Reserve and preserve it for the future of your children.

Trust me, one day, you would see the same nature nurturing our future generations.

HINDUSTAN ZINC CELEBRATES WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

Employees and their Families participated and Nandghar children became guardian of the planet Earth... 

Hindustan Zinc celebrated “World Environment Day” on 4^th & 5^th June, 2017 at Head Office and at all its business locations. Hindustan Zinc believes World Environment Day is the opportunity for everyone to realize the responsibility to care of the Earth and to become agents of change.

During the occasion, Plantation drive was carried out at Zinc Park on 4^th June, 2017 where Mr. Sunil Duggal – CEO, HZL, the Chief Guest of the program said ‘I feel more confident than ever that the power to save the planet rests with the individual consumer. Reserve and preserve it for the future of your children.

Various activities like exhibition, painting competition, inauguration of vermi compost set-up were planned to involve employees, their families and children. Painting competition was organized for children of employees on ‘Connecting People to Nature’, the theme for World Environment Day 2017, to encourage people to get outdoors and into nature, to appreciate the beauty of planet, and to take forward the call to protect the Earth for prosperity.

Mr. V Jayaraman – Head EOHS, Mr. Ramakrishnan Kasinath – Head Commercial, Ms. Sonal Shrivastava – Dy. CFO, Ms. Neelima Khetan – Head CSR, Mr. Akhilesh Shukla  - Unit Head R&D - CRDL and other HZL employees along with their families also participated to make the planet greener’.

On 5^th June, 2017, Mr. Sunil Duggal, CEO celebrated World Environment Day with children of Padakhadri Nandghar in Udaipur along with his wife Mrs. Ramdeep Duggal.

Mr. Duggal planted a Guava Tree at Nandghar with little Runika and  Mrs. Duggal planted a Mango tree with naughty Jitu. Hindustan Zinc also pledged to plant one fruit tree at every Nandghar. Apart from fruit trees, a seasonal vegetable garden was also set up at the Padakhadri Nandghar.

On this occasion, Mr. Duggal said – ‘let the children become the guardians of this planet, and let Nandghar teach them about caring and nurturing the environment’. During their visit to Nandghar, he interacted with children, participated enthusiastically in their poem recitation and other activites.

Mrs. Duggal also interacted with the parents of Nandghar children to understand the growth and change they see in their children.

Mr. Pavan Kaushik – Head Corporate Communication said “Hindustan Zinc has implemented extensive green belt development projects and has around 1.4 million of green cover around its operations.”

Also present were Mr. Manoj Nashine - Unit Head, Zinc Smelter Debari, Ms. Neelima Khetan - Head CSR, Ms. Priyanka Singh - CEO Seva Mandir and other representatives of HZL & Seva Mandir.

ASK FOR ZINC - SEA VIEW V/S SEE VIEW

Who does not want to have a bungalow or flat facing sea.  Globally, everyone wants to stay in room in a hotel that is facing sea-view. The mesmerising nature has its own depth like ocean which cannot be measured. But not many know that the coastal environment causes severe damage to the building structure and envelope (i.e., exterior doors, windows, skylights, exterior wall coverings, soffits, roof systems, and attic vents). When steel reinforcement corrodes, the corrosion product occupies more than three times the volume of the original steel, exerting great disruptive tensile stress on the surrounding concrete, leading to further cracking, more weather access and further corrosion. In mild cases, rust staining occurs whereas in more serious cases severe spalling of concrete may occur and ultimately the concrete members may fail completely.

The corrosive effect of salt-laden, wind-driven moisture in coastal areas cannot be overstated. Salt-laden, moist air can corrode exposed metal surfaces and penetrate any opening in the building. Corrosion is most likely to attack metal connectors that are used to attach the parts of the structure to one another, such as floor joists to beams and connectors used in cross-bracing below the finished lowest floor. Galvanized connectors coated with Zinc at the rate of 0.9 ounce per square foot of surface area (designated G-90) can corrode in coastal environments at a rate of 0.1 to 0.3 millimetre/year. At this rate, the Zinc protection will be gone in 7 years. Alternatively, a G-185 coated connector, which provides twice as much protection as G-90, can corrode in less than 20 years.

More galvanized protection (more ounces of Zinc per square foot of surface area to be protected) increases service life. Corrosion can also affect fasteners for siding and connectors for attaching exterior-mounted heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning units, electrical boxes, lighting fixtures, and any other item mounted on the exterior of the building.

Corrosion of reinforcing steel is one of the most important causes of deterioration of concrete structures in coastal environment. High permeability concrete, poor design detailing and construction defects such as inadequate depth of cover allow the ingress of salt and moisture into the concrete. High concentration of salt and moisture result in accelerated corrosion of reinforcing steel thereby significantly deteriorating the concrete structure.

Corrosion is commonly associated with deposition of sea salt in presence of moisture on steel and light metals. Chloride is the most significant corrosive species in the salt particles. Corrosion is influenced by the amount of salt on the metal surface and related to speed and direction of wind, distance of structure from the shore, elevation of the structures, degree of sheltering and frequency and amount of rain washing. Other factors that influence corrosion include time of wetness, relative humidity, metal surface temperature etc. Normal steel has poor resistance in coastal atmosphere and hence requires protection for durability.

So, moral of the story is… Do have a SEA facing bungalow or flat, SEE that the steel used is Galvanised…

SAFETY TOWN HALL MEETING AT HZL

Hindustan Zinc organized its 2nd Safety Town Hall Meeting on 16th July, 2016 wherein all the units of Hindustan Zinc including Head Office joined the live interaction. Mr. Sunil Duggal – CEO, HZL, Mr. Naveen Singhal – Head Projects, Mr. Vikas Sharma – COO, Smelters and Mr. Laxman Shekhawat – COO, Mines addressed about 2000 employees and contract workers along with recently joined GETs. The Town-Hall was conducted at Udaipur from the auditorium emphasizing on safety both on-site & off site. 

3rd Safety Town Hall Meeting was conducted on 25th August, 2016. Mr. Sunil Duggal – CEO, HZL, Mr. Amitabh Gupta - CFO, Mr. Vikas Sharma – COO, Smelters and Mr. Laxman Shekhawat – COO, Mines were present. The session also saw interactive session where-in several employees from each locations asked questions and gave suggestions towards improving safety.

Hindustan Zinc launched First Sustainability Report

Mr. Sunil Duggal - CEO, Mr. Naveen Singhal - Head Projects, Mr. Amitabh Gupta - CFO and Mr. Vikas Sharma - COO, Smelters released the Company's first 'Sustainability Report' on 12th August, 2016 at Yashad Bhawan Auditorium. Sustainability Reporting is one of major initiative which is the key platform for communicating sustainability performance and its impacts. HZL's Sustainability Report explores the company's Sustainability framework which integrates the triple bottom line approach of Sustainability i.e. Social, Economic and Environmental agenda with business priorities. The Four sections of the report highlights sustainability progress by mapping performance against the four pillars of Vedanta Sustainability Framework :  Zinc as CUSTODIAN,  Zinc as COMPANION, Zinc for ADDED VALUE & Zinc COMMUNIQUE. The Sustainability Report brings small and big steps that Hindustan Zinc has taken to become an exemplar of responsible business and to be the best partner in progress for all its stakeholders. The report is assured by M/s EY as per the ISAE 3000 guidelines for assurance.

WATER CONCLAVE - 2016 ATTENDED BY HINDUSTAN ZINC

Mr. Rajeeb Swain - Head Environment presented HZL’s Best practices in Water ,anagement & Stewardship at the Water Conclave - 2016 organized by CII and PHED & Ground Water Department, Govt of Rajasthan on 7 Jul,y 2016 at Jaipur. His presentation highlighted about all HZL units being Zero Liquid Discharge compliant and showcased  various initiatives like Multiple effect evaporators to recover water from the RO rejects effluent, adiabatic coolers to reduce fresh water makeup in process cooling towers, use of deep cone thickeners to reduce evaporation losses from the tailing pond, which are taken to reduce specific water consumption at Mines & Smelters of HZL. He also discussed about Sewage Treatment Plant which is Udaipur’s First Sewage Treatment Plant under PPP (Public Private Partnership) Project and explained how being a Responsible Corporate,  HZL is  helping in cleaning the Lakes and reusing sewage water of city.

HINDUSTAN ZINC CELEBRATES WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

Hindustan Zinc carried out a special plantation drive on the occasion of World Environment Day - 5th June, 2015. The drive was carried out in all its business locations spread across 5 districts – Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Bhilwara, Rajsamand and Ajmer.

In a message to all employees, Akhilesh Joshi, CEO-HZL emphasised on the importance of individuals to bring out change and also highlighted the  annual theme recommended by the United Nations Environment Programme — ‘Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care’. He said “World Environment Day is the opportunity for everyone to realize the responsibility to care for the Earth and to become agents of change. Every small step taken by each one of us is a mighty step forward in terms of creating a better environment for next generation.”

Hindustan Zinc’s Chanderiya Smelting Complex, has special focus on planting the saplings of medicinal properties. In addition, poster making competition, environment quiz, photography, slogans writing competition and essay writing competitions were organised. 

Over 1.4 million saplings have been planted by the Company over the years. 

As a part of green energy initiatives the company is also one of the largest producers of wind power – 274 MW in India, which is registered under Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and is entitled for carbon credits. Hindustan Zinc produces also about 35.4 MW of power through the waste heat recovery process. Utilization of fly-ash and slag, adoption of environment friendly technology, water conservation and setting-up Sewage Treatment Plant in Udaipur are some of the many key initiatives taken by the Company towards care for the environment.

HINDUSTAN ZINC - MAIL TODAY - MY SAFETY IS MY RESPONSIBILITY

MAIL TODAY | 10th MARCH, 2015

The high frequency of road accidents in India is only a testimony of ignorance and disrespect towards safety. The fact cannot be ignored that more people die in road accidents in India than anywhere else in the world. Hindustan Zinc along with ‘Rajasthan Parivahan Nirikshak Sangh’ developed a Mobile Model for road safety education in Rajasthan.

A child of 13 years was sitting with his father on a scooter, when suddenly a car over-took from a wrong direction, forcing the father to apply instant brakes. The scooter stopped. Car went ahead without bothering. The father looked back, his son was safe and he was safe too. Both were wearing helmets, it was well tied-up and both were alert.

It is said, “a life saved, saves the lives of an entire family”. So true, when we care so much for lives of our family, how can we ignore the very basis life our own-self. When we know, we are the basis of the lives of our family.

‘Safety’ is not just a six letter-word, it actually defines the well-being of the entire society and finally a country. It is important to adopt safety as a habit rather than feel it is being imposed. We generally feel victims when safety is forced upon us, ignoring the facts that it is being implemented to only make our lives safer and our families peaceful.

Most of the time, the people are aware of the consequences of ignoring safety gadgets. Most of the time, the rules & regulations are ignored, for the sake of a casual behaviour towards safety.

It is ironical to penalize a person not wearing helmet by Police, knowing the fact that wearing helmet will protect the very same person from head-injury during an un-welcomed accident, which has all the potential to become fatal.

The high frequency of road accidents in India is only a testimony of ignorance and disrespect towards safety. The fact cannot be ignored that more people die in road accidents in India than anywhere else in the world.

“Where ignorance is the reason, education can become bliss”.

The need to educate masses about the necessity of safety and making them realize the fact that it is not just a matter of their life, it the life of their family that depends on them.

Accepting the grave need towards formulation of right strategy, and realizing its importance, common masses, opinion makers, government, corporates, NGOs, and other agencies have united in Rajasthan to develop a new method towards spreading message.

As a large corporate, Hindustan Zinc, world’s leading Zinc-Lead and Silver producer, a Vedanta Group company, has joined hands with Rajasthan Parivahan Nirikshak Sangh (RPNS) – a body affiliated to All India Federation of Motor Vehicles Department Technical Executive Officers Association, Bangalore, to spread the message through technology driven Road Safety Mobile Van.

This fully equipped Road Safety Mobile Van is equipped with the facility like LCD Projector with a projection screen of 42” (LCD TV), a high-decibel sound system with amplifier to reach large audience, laptop, digital camera etc. This Road Safety Mobile Van also has a digital inverter for power backup and is proving to be useful in villages where there are power-cuts. The method of teaching involves audio-video training sessions of 90 minutes, guidelines and educating traffic rules, behavioral training on road safety, first aid etc. The program is more of interactive nature and involves the audience through question and answer sessions. Road-safety guidelines are also distributed to audience. Special drives are also being launched in association with local police towards implementation of road safety rules.

This Road Safety Mobile Van would travel deep rural villages, schools and other areas and educate people about the road safety.

This unique Road Safety Mobile Van project has been sponsored by Hindustan Zinc under the “Rajasthan Road Safety Awareness Mission Program”.

Veerendra Singh Rathore, State President, Rajasthan Parivahan Nirikshak Sangh who is also the Project Head of Rajasthan Road Safety Education and Awareness Mission informed that “Road Safety Mobile Van” provided by Hindustan Zinc is proving to very useful. We are able to reach remote villages, schools and rural people. As the Van has video screen, we are able to show short films on road safety which is helping in making the people understand the gravity of situation.”

So far the project has reached about 100,000 people through conducting about 600 educational programs, which have resulted in decreasing the road accidents and injuries. There has been an increasing participation of employees of various small-big corporates. In district Rajsamand a success story has been drawn by witnessing 40% reduction in road accidents.

Hindustan Zinc spokesperson Pavan Kaushik informed that “Hindustan Zinc is concerned about the road safety and as a large corporate we feel we should help in spreading the message and decided to support Rajasthan Road Safety Awareness Mission Program. As part of our safety drills at all our business units, we regularly organize safety workshops which also has includes road safety, where in large number of employees participate.”

Inspired by the success of the program and its response, the Transport Department, Government of Rajasthan, is now planning to launch similar Road Safety Mobile Vans in all seven division of Rajasthan.

The success of this Rajasthan Government Model on Safety is now being replicated by other State Governments. The Transport Department of Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka are working towards developing ten such Road Safety Mobile Vans in their States to promote road safety education and awareness in public.

The Message is clear, safety cannot be ignored.

Ultimately, “My Safety is My Responsibility”, as my safety will also make my family safe, socially and economically.

HINDUSTAN ZINC "MARYADAA" - MAIL TODAY - HINDUSTAN ZINC'S STP TREATING 30% OF UDAIPUR'S SEWAGE

Another step towards “SWACHH BHARAT” 

Udaipur's First Sewage Treatment Plant...

Hindustan Zinc, a company of Vedanta Group in Zinc-Lead-Silver business has come forward and built Udaipur’s fist sewage treatment plant (STP) that treats 30% of the sewage generated by the city of lakes, a world’s class tourism destination. Udaipur generates about 70 million litres of sewage per day and Hindustan Zinc Sewage Treatment Plant is treating 20 million litres per day.   This STP has been built with a cost of Rs. 170 crore and has been constructed and commissioned on ‘Design Build Own Operate and Transfer’ basis in association with Government of Rajasthan.

Government of Rajasthan has been looking for this project for quite some time and there always has been a dire need for a large corporate to align and associate with the Government to address growing sewage problem in Udaipur. Hindustan Zinc being one of the largest corporate in Rajasthan and leader in undertaking environment friendly projects signed an agreement to undertake this project.

Udaipur, the city of lakes, elevated hills and magnificent cultural heritage with exotic palaces, celestial temples, colourful festivals and express highways is no doubt one of the most sought after national and global tourism destinations. Lakhs of tourists visit Udaipur every year.

With the time, in the last few years, the local population of Udaipur has also grown. The advent of shopping malls and multiplexes have been instrumental in building a new and modern Udaipur. As the city has grown, the maintenance of current infrastructure has also become a challenge, particularly in relation to cleanliness of majestic lakes. The challenge is to sustain the freshness of these lakes. For long, the lakes have been absorbing the disposal of human waste which has become critical as the contamination is now clearly visible on the surface of the water.

On an average, Udaipur city generates about 70 million litres of sewage per day and cleaning this sewage was itself a challenge. Currently, most of the sewage is travelling to various lakes leading to contamination of water, polluting lakes and thereby affecting overall beauty of these lakes. The only solution that was evident was constructing a large scale Sewage Treatment Plant that could take the load of treating this massive sewage. This treatment of sewage would not only keep the lakes clean, a strong move towards clean environment, but would also help in retaining the majestic looks of these lakes that attract lakhs of tourists every year.

Not just treating sewage, the Hindustan Zinc Sewage Treatment Plant, in the process, would also be generating a large quantity of manure that will be sold by Udaipur Municipal Corporation to the local bodies. This initiative itself is estimated to generate revenue of Rs. 1 crore every year. To ensure there is no piling-up of stocks of manure, the Udaipur Municipal Corporation will be disposing off the manure on fortnightly basis.

Hindustan Zinc, adhering to its commitment towards clean green environment and maintaining highest standards of waste management, commissioned this Sewage Treatment Plant in 2014. Hindustan Zinc will gradually divert domestic sewage pipeline into large pipe-lines, leading to the Sewage Treatment Plant, to reduce the flow of sewage in the lakes. 

Hindustan Zinc is one of the pioneers in adopting clean green technology in running its plants. Saving water has always been a focus area for Hindustan Zinc. While maintaining the global benchmark and working continuously towards water conservation, the company has been successfully reducing its water footprints by reducing the water consumption every year. All the business locations of Hindustan Zinc are working on zero discharge principle, while putting on efforts and research for gainful utilization of waste generated by them.

Hindustan Zinc Sewage Treatment Plant project is a major step not only towards treatment of sewage in Udaipur but also a significant initiative towards building a sustainable environment and conservation of water.

HINDUSTAN ZINC’S STP TREATING 30% UDAIPUR’S SEWAGE

Hindustan Zinc, a company of Vedanta Group in Zinc-Lead-Silver business has come forward and built Udaipur’s fist sewage treatment plant (STP) that treats 30% of the sewage generated by the city of lakes, a world’s class tourism destination. Udaipur generates about 70 million litres of sewage per day and Hindustan Zinc Sewage Treatment Plant is treating 20 million litres per day.   This STP has been built with a cost of Rs. 170 crore and has been constructed and commissioned on ‘Design Build Own Operate and Transfer’ basis in association with Government of Rajasthan.

On an average, Udaipur city generates about 70 million litres of sewage per day and cleaning this sewage has been a challenge. Currently, most of the sewage is travelling to various lakes leading to contamination of water, polluting lakes and thereby affecting overall beauty of these lakes. The only solution that was evident was constructing a large scale Sewage Treatment Plant that could take the load of treating this massive sewage. This treatment of sewage would not only keep the lakes clean, a strong move towards clean environment, but would also help in retaining the majestic looks of these lakes that attract lakhs of tourists every year.

Not just treating sewage, the Hindustan Zinc Sewage Treatment Plant, in the process, would also be generating a large quantity of manure that will be sold by Udaipur Municipal Corporation to the local bodies. This initiative itself is estimated to generate revenue of Rs. 1 crore every year. To ensure there is no piling-up of stocks of manure, the Udaipur Municipal Corporation will be disposing off the manure on fortnightly basis.

Hindustan Zinc, adhering to its commitment towards clean green environment and maintaining highest standards of waste management, commissioned this Sewage Treatment Plant in 2014. Hindustan Zinc ha also started the work relating to diverting domestic sewage pipeline into large pipe-lines which would lead to the Sewage Treatment Plant, to reduce further flow of sewage in the lakes. 

The company is one of the pioneers in adopting clean green technology in running its plants. Saving water has always been a focus area for Hindustan Zinc. While maintaining the global benchmark and working continuously towards water conservation, the company has been successfully reducing its water footprints by reducing the water consumption every year. All the business locations of Hindustan Zinc are working on zero discharge principle, while putting on efforts and research for gainful utilization of waste generated by them.

Hindustan Zinc Sewage Treatment Plant project is a major step not only towards treatment of sewage in Udaipur but also a significant initiative towards building a sustainable environment and conservation of water.

HINDUSTAN ZINC'S FIRST `SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT’ IN UDAIPUR

This Rs. 170 crore project to address domestic sewage problem of Udaipur, generating manure, cleaning lakes

Udaipur, a city of lakes, elevated hills and magnificent cultural heritage with exotic palaces, celestial temples, colorful festivals and express highways is no doubt one of the most sought after national and global tourism destination. Thousands of tourists visit Udaipur every year.

With the time, in the last few years, the local population of Udaipur has also grown. The advent of shopping malls and multiplexes have been instrumental in building a new and modern Udaipur. As the city has grown, the maintenance of current infrastructure has also become a challenge, particularly in relation to cleanliness of majestic lakes. The challenge is to sustain the freshness. For long, the lakes have been absorbing the disposal of human waste which has become critical as the contamination is now clearly visible on the surface.

Hindustan Zinc, a company of Vedanta Group in Zinc-Lead-Silver business has come forward to build the first domestic 'Sewage Treatment Plant (STP)' at Udaipur. This Rs. 170 crore project is being constructed on ‘Design Build Own Operate and Transfer’ basis in association with Government of Rajasthan. The capacity of this Sewage Treatment Plant it to treat 20 million litres per day (MLD) and it shall be treating only the domestic sewage.

Government of Rajasthan has been looking for this project for quite some time and there always has been a dire need for a large corporate to align and associate with the Government to address growing sewage problem in Udaipur. Hindustan Zinc being one of the largest corporate in Rajasthan and leader in undertaking environment friendly projects has signed an agreement to complete the project in 3 years. 

On an average, Udaipur city generates about 70 million litres of sewage per day and cleaning this sewage was itself a challenge. Currently, most of the sewage is travelling to various lakes leading to contamination of water, polluting lakes and thereby affecting overall beauty of these lakes. The only solution that was evident was constructing a large scale Sewage Treatment Plant that could take the load of treating this massive sewage. This treatment of sewage would not only keep the lakes clean, a strong move towards clean environment, but would also help in retaining the majestic looks of these lakes that attract thousands of tourists every year.

Not just treating sewage, this Sewage Treatment Plant, in the process, would also be generating a large quantity of manure that will be sold by Udaipur Municipal Corporation to the local bodies. This initiative itself is estimated to generate revenue of Rs. 1 crore every year. To ensure there is no piling-up of stocks of manure, the Udaipur Municipal Corporation will be disposing off the manure on fortnightly basis.

Hindustan Zinc, adhering to its commitment towards clean green environment and maintaining highest standards of waste management, is expected to make the Sewage Treatment Plant operative by 2014. The project is also aimed to divert domestic sewage pipeline into large pipe-lines, also being build by Hindustan Zinc, leading to the Sewage Treatment Plant, to reduce the flow of sewage in the lakes. 

Hindustan Zinc is one of the pioneers in adopting clean green technology in running its plants.  Saving water has always been a focus area for Hindustan Zinc. While maintaining the global benchmark and working continuously towards water conservation, the company has been successfully reducing its water footprints by reducing the water consumption every year. All the business locations of Hindustan Zinc are working on zero discharge principle, while putting on efforts and research for gainful utilization of waste generated by them.

This Sewage Treatment Plant project is a major step not only towards treatment of sewage in Udaipur but also a significant initiative towards building a sustainable environment and conservation of water.

GREEN FOOTPRINTS OF ZINC

273.5 MW of Green Energy – 34.4 MW of power through waste heat recovery from roasters - Reduced Carbon footprint of 700,677 tCO2e per annum

Rationalisation and Innovation plays an important role in the development of any country. But as the business grows, responsibility towards the people and the surroundings also grows. It is important for the industries to adopt best environment friendly technologies for all its operations. Optimum utilisation of resources and managing the waste should be the key focus area of any industry.

Hindustan Zinc, a Vedanta group company in zinc-lead-silver business and the world's largest integrated zinc producer has been the key initiator in adopting clean green technology. The company's mining and smelting operations are based on environment friendly technologies that led the plant to conserve water and energy.

The operations are working on zero discharge principle and company is putting on efforts and research for gainful utilization of waste generated at its mines, smelters and power plants. Hindustan Zinc has persistent focus on minimal impact on environment and the company practices - reduce, recycle, reuse, and reclaim policy. The Effluent Treatment Plant with Reverse Osmosis plants installed at all smelting locations is resulting in reducing fresh water foot prints of the company and also to maintain zero discharge status.

The company installed its first Adiabatic Cooling Towers (ACTs) to replace the conventional cooling towers at the cost of about 40 crores. ACTs reduce water wastage in the form of evaporation losses by almost 80% by operating in a closed circuit. This has reduced the fresh water consumption at intake.

Care for the environment is driven by the three factors – technology, people and adherence. The company has successfully completed commissioning of 273.5 MW of wind farms in two phases, located in five states of India - Gujarat (88.8 MW), Karnataka (49.40 MW), Rajasthan (88.8 MW), Maharashtra (25.5 MW) and Tamil Nadu (21 MW). The company's entire 273.5 MW capacities of wind power generation have been registered under Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) program by United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). They produced and sold 511.4 million units of wind power to the states' grids, an increase of 52.3% as compared to FY 2012.

The concern and the participation for the conservation of the environment cannot be forced; it has to be taken up as a responsibility. The company has been successful in reducing annual average emissions of 497,209 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents, by producing 536,882 MWh per year (average) equivalent amount of clean energy.

Other than wind projects, company's 9.4 MW waste heat recovery Steam Turbine Generation (STG) and 21 TPH Low Calorific Value Gas (LCV) boilers for steam generation projects are also registered under CDM. The total registered project has helped Hindustan Zinc to reduce carbon footprint by 583,685 tCO2e per annum. The company also reduced carbon footprint by 116,992 tCO2e from initiatives  other than the registered CDM projects.

Care for the environment can be done in two ways: enhancing the green belt and protecting the environment. The company's R&D efforts have materialised to utilise slag, a waste from zinc process in cement manufacturing. The fly ash which is a waste material from thermal power plant is utilised fully by cement industries. Over 1.3 million green plantation cover the company's premises. Hindustan Zinc is producing 34.4 MW of power through waste heat recovered from roasters. The company is also in the process to construct 20 million liters per day (MLD) Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in Udaipur. This Sewage Treatment Plant is a significant step towards conservation of water and care for environment by cleaning the Ahar River thereby improving overall health & hygiene of Udaipur city.

The company innovated the 'Cansolv Technology' in the Lead Plant at Chanderiya unit that controls SO2 emissions and converts it into Sulphuric Acid. Hindustan Zinc has also installed Tail Gas Treatment (TGT) plants at its smelters that reduce SO 2 emissions below the national standards. The technology adopted does not produce waste and effluent.

Hindustan Zinc has a state-of-the-art `Central Research & Development Laboratory (CRDL)' which was established by the company in 1976 with an objective to enhance metal recoveries, to recover values from the waste and optimise waste management.

Hindustan Zinc also adheres to the highest safety standards that also have been integrated in the people management process. It enables the company to detect and eliminate any safety risk, occupational risk or health hazards. The company through PPE compliance, structured training, safety workshops and internal & external audits is committed to have zero workplace injury. The company is working towards elimination of occupational illness through providing a workplace that is free from the occupational health risk and hygiene hazard. They (OH experts & Company doctors) pro-actively work with employees and the contractors for healthier lifestyle that enables to increase the productivity of the company and reduces absenteeism.

All the mines and the smelters are having occupational health centres where experts are present for regular health examination of the employees at the workplace. These centres also have the facilities of specific examination like blood lead level test, audiometric test, spirometry test, apart from routine tests like ECG, X-ray facilities etc.

The employees also play the important role of maintaining highest standards of corporate governance. All the employees are adhered to all the Environment, Occupational Health and Safety (EOHS) policies, contributing in protecting and conserving the environment to bring ecological balance as a part of sustainable development.

Vedanta's Hindustan Zinc to Plant 100,000 Saplings in Rajasthan

Rampura Agucha Mine starts plantation of 70,000 saplings





The Sapling Plantation Drive Begins

 To celebrate World Environment Day, 5th June 2012, Vedanta’s Hindustan Zinc has taken the initiative to plant 100,000 saplings at its business locations in Rajasthan. All the units of Hindustan Zinc will participate in this drive and Rampura Agucha, world’s largest zinc producing mine, alone has started plantation of 70,000 saplings from today. Hindustan Zinc already houses more than 12 lakh plantation, in and around its business locations.

The drive started with plantation of neem, seesam, ashoka and palm trees at Bhilwara District in Rajasthan. The District Collector, Mr. Onkar Singh while inaugurating the drive welcomed Hindustan Zinc’s initiative and efforts to plant and monitor 100,000 saplings. He named this as a unique initiative which will become a benchmark for other corporates to follow. In order to further strengthen the drive, the District Collector, Bhilwara offered to make available wasteland for the company to incorporate in their plantation drive and monitor the plantation.



Mr. Onkar Singh, District Collector, Bhilwara - Rajasthan

 Hindustan Zinc’s plantation drive aligns with the flagship project of the Rajasthan State Government’s “Green Rajasthan”, where in Chief Minister Rajasthan had asked all the people and corporates to plant trees at various locations.

The collector congratulated the company for this commendable initiative and requested the people to join this campaign to bring desired results. It is a matter of pride for all of us to have a world class mine in the district which has also positioned the name of Rajasthan on the world metal and mining map, he added.

Mr. Akhilesh Joshi, Chief Executive Officer of Hindustan Zinc also emphasized the need for collective responsibility while achieving such milestones. He said, that this plantation drive is being undertaken under extreme temperature i.e. 45 degrees just to ensure the world that ‘where there is a will, there is a way’. We would take extra care to ensure that these plants survive and develop to become healthy trees.



Mr. Akhilesh Joshi, CEO, Hindustan Zinc



On the offer made by the District Collector to plant saplings on the wasteland provided by the government, Mr. Joshi happily agreed and requested the District Collector to expedite the process and Hindustan Zinc is ready to not only plant the samplings but also maintain them.

Mr. Joshi also said that mining and agriculture sector are the essentials for the development and prosperity of any economy. Both are not only inter-related but also inter-dependent. You cannot run either without another. He said that the company believes in integrating sustainability in all the aspects of business.

On this occasion the District Forest Officer, Mr. L.N Ranawat emphasized on the need of ‘Green Economy’. While talking about the availability of land in Rajasthan for plantation purpose, he said, any State should have about 33% of forest cover but Rajasthan has a forest cover area of just 7%. To enhance the greenery in the state we should utilize all the available areas including that of wastelands, areas around roads and the area inside the housing facility and business locations. If we have scarcity of forest land we should approach non-forest land for creating green cover as being done by Vedanta’s Hindustan Zinc. He said the company’s initiative should send a strong signal to all the corporates towards their concern for green environment in India.

Mr. Sunil Duggal, Executive Director of Hindustan Zinc believed in making a mining area worth visiting tourists. He emphasized that the people need to see mining with a different sight. Mr. Duggal informed that Hindustan Zinc is not just celebrating World Environment Day but a Week, just to give this message to the world that environment drives are to be undertaken throughout the year and not limited to just one or two days.

Hindustan Zinc has been one of the largest contributors in terms of protecting and conserving the environment. Company’s plants have been set-up on most environment friendly technologies that allows the plants to operate on `zero discharge’ and these units are now heading towards `zero waste’. The companies has persistent focus on minimal impact on environment, re-cycle & re-use practices, and is conserving bio-diversity in and around its operating units.

Head Corporate Communication, Pavan Kaushik informed that “the employees play an important role in maintaining highest standards of corporate governance. Several energy conservation projects, identified by our own employees, are undertaken resulting in substantial energy conservation.”

The company has been a key initiator in adopting clean green technology. Very few people know that Hindustan Zinc produces about 25 MW of power just through the waste heat recovery process. As a part of green energy initiatives the company is also one of the largest producers of wind power - 275 MW in India, which is registered under Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and is entitled for carbon credits. Hindustan Zinc practice the `4-R Policy’ – Reduce, Recycle, Reuse and Reclaim. The company has a dedicated effluent treatment plant at all smelters. The Reverse Osmosis Plant installed at the units result in a constant decrease in consumption of fresh water. In further promotion of conservation of environment, Company's laboratory located at Udaipur has been able to develop use of slag and fly ash in cement manufacturing. This has resulted in efficient use of waste that is generated from production of zinc and captive power generation respectively.

Also present on the occasion were Mr. Hari Ram Meena, SDM Gulabpura, Mr. Avinash Kuldeep, Mining Engineer Bhilwara, Mr. H.K.Mehta, Sr. Vice President (HR) HZL Mr.L.S Shekhawat – Location Head RAM-HZL, Mr. Bhag Chand, President Union President – RAM and Mr. Pavan Kaushik, Head – Corporate Communication, HZL.

TAGS: Hindustan Zinc, Vedanta, World Environment Day, Environment Protection