JNS : ESL Steel Limited, a leading greenfield integrated steel producer and part of the Vedanta Group, has reaffirmed its commitment to environmental stewardship with the announcement of a 1.5 lakh plant plantation drive for the year 2024/25.
The initiative, spearheaded by the company’s Health, Safety, Environment & Sustainability (HSES) department, was unveiled during World Environment Day celebrations, which also marked the conclusion of a fortnight-long Environmental Consciousness, Awareness & Action Week.
World Environment Day, observed annually on June 5 since 1973 and led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), serves as the largest global platform for environmental outreach. This year’s theme, focusing on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience, underscores the urgent need for collective action to protect the planet.
ESL Steel Limited’s Environmental Consciousness, Awareness & Action Fortnight, which commenced on May 23, included a series of activities designed to engage employees and promote environmental awareness.
These activities ranged from awareness sessions and departmental quizzes to poster-making competitions, online quizzes, and photography contests, culminating in the ambitious plantation drive.
Addressing the assembled employees, Ravish Sharma, Chief Operating Officer of ESL Steel Limited, emphasized the universal responsibility to care for the environment. “The environment affects us all, and we must all take care of Mother Nature.
The ‘One-point-five’ declaration from the 2015 UN Climate Summit in Paris means we must strive to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by 2100,” he stated.
Sharma further highlighted the significance of the plantation drive, describing it as ESL Steel Limited’s contribution to the global effort against climate change. “We have pledged to plant 1.5 lakh plants in 2024/25. This ambitious plan is a small but vital step in India’s goal of planting around 400 to 500 million plants to mitigate climate change. As Dushyant Kumar’s poetry suggests, ‘Kaise aakash me suraakh naheen ho sakta; Ek patthar to tabeeyat se uchhaalo yaaro’ – great achievements start with small efforts.”
The event saw the participation of approximately 150 employees, including key leaders like Anand Dubey, CFO; Meenakshi Sabharwal, CQO and Head of Business Excellence; and Shyamlee Minz, CHRO.
Following a ceremonial lamp lighting, attendees took a pledge to support environmental initiatives and contribute to the company’s plantation drive.
Under the leadership of K. Sandeep, Head of HSES, the event also featured the involvement of other senior leaders including Tapesh Chandra Naskar, Director of DIP; Amrit Mukherjee, Director of Central Engineering; Saroj Kumar Singh, Director of Steel; and Amal Ghosh, Director of Projects.
They gathered to congratulate the winners of various competitions and encourage ongoing participation in environmental efforts throughout the year.
ESL Steel Limited’s dedication to environmental and community welfare has earned it numerous accolades from national and international organizations. This latest initiative underscores the company’s unwavering commitment to sustainable development and the well-being of the communities in which it operates.
