By KENNEDY MUPESENI –
VEDANTA Limited, a globally diversified natural resources company and a sister company of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) in Zambia, has won the Golden Peacock Environment Management Award 2016 by the Institute of Directors (IOD).
This week, the Zambian subsidiary disclosed that it had spent more than US$700 million on environmental management projects at its mines and the surrounding areas since 2004.
Company chief executive officer for power Ajay Kumar Dixit said the company was grateful to the institute for acknowledging Vedanta’s relentless efforts towards ensuring environmental sustainability.
“We are deeply grateful to IOD for having recognised us. Maintaining global environmental benchmarks is a key strategic priority for Vedanta Limited.
“Our subsidiary, Talwandi Sabo Power Limited (TSPL) has made a firm commitment towards sustainable operations and environment management by installing environment-friendly infrastructure at its super-critical power plant in Punjab,” Mr Dixit said.
This is according to a statement released in Kitwe by KCM head of media relations Sally Namutowe.
With a specialised environment cell that monitors stipulated safeguards at the power plant, Mr Dixit said TSPL had highly sophisticated infrastructure dedicated to minimising the environmental impact of its operations in the region.
“Fly ash utilisation and dust extraction systems, high efficiency Electrostatic Precipitator (ESP), sewage treatment plant, rain water harvesting and an adequate green belt are some of the measures taken by TSPL at its plant,” Mr Dixit said.