As a business house, we are totally committed to sustainable development. Hence, building eco-efficiency in all of our operations and conserving natural resources comes to us naturally. Your Company has a well-drawn out environmental management strategy in place. Environment concerns are textured into all manufacturing processes and business decisions. We subscribe to the United Nations Global Compact.

All the company's installations i.e., mines, power plants, the integrated Aluminium complex, Wheel & Foils Division, de-merged undertakings of its subsidiary Indal and Copper complex continue to do excellent work in Environment Management and are ISO - 14001 certified and most are also OHSAS - 18001 certified.

Your Company places top priority on conserving valuable natural resources. Environment management for sustainable growth is embedded from the design stage of every unit. For instance, your Company's Copper complex in Dahej has adopted Best Available Technology for all its operations to preserve the green and clean environment around it.

Your Company's alumina refineries are equipped with high efficiency Electrostatic Precipitators and Bag filters to arrest alumina particles escaping into the atmosphere. The advanced hi-tech Dry Scrubbing Systems installed in the Pot Lines of Aluminium Smelter at Renukoot not only ensure maximum fluorine recovery and minimum fluoride emission but also restrict the alumina escaping to the atmosphere. Such state-of-the-art pollution control equipments ensure cleaner operations at all the units.

In its quest to make your Company a zero effluent discharge company, State-of-art industrial effluent treatment systems are operated in all units in such a manner that all the treated effluent is recycled for reuse in process.

The solid wastes generated are used in Red Mud Plantation as a soil conditioner at Renukoot and as landfill of low-lying areas at other locations. The Belgaum Alumina Refinery, after undertaking a scientific study, successfully rehabilitated 5 hectares of abandoned red mud dump by promoting soil growth through specific vegetation. The success is being replicated at the Muri Alumina Refinery as well.
Your Company's units have taken up unique projects on experimental basis jointly with local entrepreneurs for converting hazardous waste into useful products. Once successful, this will be a first of its kind effort in the Aluminium industry in India.

To achieve its goal of a clean environment, your Company operates latest fuel efficient Calciners in the Alumina refineries and meets its steam requirements by running highly efficient large capacity Boilers with Cogeneration facilities. Microprocessor based controls in the smelter and baking furnaces also help save energy.

These steps have resulted in saving in fuel consumption, conservation of valuable natural resources and effective pollution control.

Your company is fully committed to the Charter of "Corporate Responsibility for Environment Protection" declared by the Ministry of Environment & Forests.
A well equipped Environment Management Cell is operative with qualified personnel to oversee environmental activities and is supported by full fledged sophisticated control laboratories set up to help and constantly monitor the quality of air emissions and water effluents.

The Company spent nearly Rs. 1,771 million on pollution control equipment during the year and has plans for substantial spending of Rs. 2,924 million within a span of 3 years.

Many accolades have been conferred on your Company for its singular contribution to environment conservation and safety. A selective list is given below.

• Your Company's Renukoot plant bagged several awards including the CII National Award for Excellence in Energy Management-2004; National Energy Conservation Award (1st Prize) 2004 in Aluminium Sector, Ministry of Power, Government of India; Green Tech Gold Award 2003-04 to Renusagar Power by Greentech Foundation, New Delhi for Organisational Health & Safety; and the 4th Annual Greentech Safety Gold Award for the year 2004-05 in Metallurgy Sector. Renukoot plant was declared as the Best Safety Performing Plant in the world by the International Aluminium Institute for the year 2004.
• Hirakud Smelter was named the winner of the National Energy Conservation Excellence Award 2004 for the second consecutive year, while the Power Plant received the Shrestha Puraskar Award for 2003 from the National Safety Council, the CII - Exim Bank Award for its strong commitment to excel, and the National Energy Award-2003 by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
• Belgaum and Muri Alumina Refineries won the Greentech Safety Gold Award 2003-04 by Greentech Foundation, New Delhi, for Organizational Health and Safety.
• The Belur Sheet Plant won the National Energy Conservation Award (2nd Prize) 2004 and the CII Energy Conservation Award 2004 as well as the National Award for Excellence in Water Management for 2004, from the CII-Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre.
• Durgmanwadi Mines bagged the Greentech Safety Silver Award 2003-04. Our Mines have also been recognized by Indian Bureau of Mines, Government of India for Afforestation, Plantation, Waste Dump Management, Top Soil Management, Reclamation and Rehabilitation, Dust Suppression Arrangement, Publicity and Propaganda and Overall Performance.

Apart from these measures, educating and sensitizing our employees, contractors and customers on the importance of sustainable development is a process in continuum.

As our country is often faced with drought and severe water shortage, your Company has begun unique rainwater harvesting projects in areas near our plant locations. These efforts are a part of our Environment Management Systems and evolve out of our commitment to ensure quality of life for the communities in proximity to our plants.

Our Board and our colleagues across our plants are fully committed to sustainable development. We are all nature lovers. The green cover in and around our plants, with tens of thousands of trees swaying, is a reflection of our passionate respect for the environment.