The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
LANJIGARH, MAY 3, 2021
The Lanjigarh Unit of Vedanta Limited, India’s premier producer of metallurgical grade alumina, has come forward to support the Government and District Administration in their fight against COVID-19. As part of its corporate social responsibility, the unit has provided 100 sets of RT-PCR Test kits to the District Headquarters Hospital, Bhawanipatna. With each set containing 100 kits, these Test kits will cater to the testing of 10,000 people.
RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests have been the most sought after tests to check for COVID-19 infections.
On behalf of the company, G.G. Pal, Deputy CEO-Alumina Business, Vedanta Limited handed over the kit sets to the hospital authorities on Sunday. T. Ashok Kumar, Divisional Forest Officer, South Division, Kalahandi and Nodal Officer (COVID Operations), Kalahandi; Abani Kumar Sahu, District Project Manager, Kalahandi and Nabal Kumar Sharma from Vedanta Lanjigarh were present on the occasion.
Speaking on this occasion, G.G. Pal, Deputy CEO – Alumina Business, Vedanta Limited, further highlighted, “We are taking all necessary steps to combat this pandemic in and around our areas of operations. Vedanta Lanjigarh is deeply appreciative of the effort being undertaken by the district administration in ensuring preparedness in the face of this global pandemic. The company is doing its bit by providing all possible support. As part of this effort, we provided the RT-PCR Test kit sets to the district hospital, which will support the government in combating the pandemic.”
“We stand with the government and local bodies in this crucial time and are ready to extend every possible support to the local communities,” he added.
In its effort to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, Vedanta Lanjigarh has joined hands with the Kalahandi District Health Administration to conduct COVID-19 vaccination drive for the community. Conducted in collaboration with the Community Health Centres of Lanjigarh and Biswanathpur, the drive will cover more than 60 villages in the periphery of Vedanta’s alumina refinery plant, reaching out to more than 3,000 people. Besides, awareness drive is being carried out by the unit through its Mobile Health Unit, digital and mobile messaging etc.
Appreciating the company’s initiatives, T. Ashok Kumar, Nodal Officer (COVID Operations), Kalahandi said, “Vedanta Lanjigarh has come forward with all required support in the prevention of COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic, in supporting the district health authorities. The spread of the disease can be contained with large-scale testing and timely isolation and treatment of the COVID positive patients. The provision of the RT-PCR test kits by Vedanta will facilitate the testing process for the general public in the district. This reflects the responsibility and commitment of Vedanta towards the community.”
Also, the company’s 20-bed hospital is in a state of preparedness to support the district administration. Earlier, the hospital had been identified as the first Private COVID Vaccination Centre (PCVC) in Kalahandi. Like the previous year, a round-the-clock telephonic helpline has been set up by Vedanta Hospital to address queries or concerns of the community on COVID-19. The hospital has also started a Telemedicine facility, wherein the patients can get connected to the doctors through phone calls or WhatsApp voice calls and get consultation and e-prescription.
Vedanta’s social interventions in the domains of sustainable livelihood, women empowerment, quality education, health, water and sanitation, bio-investment and community infrastructure reach out to a total of 69 villages in Lanjigarh and nearby areas, benefiting about a lakh people in a year. It empowers more than 3,000 women from 305 self-help groups (SHGs), provides healthcare services to about 30,000 people annually besides giving educational support to more than 2,800 students. The company has also planted more than 5.4 lakh trees in the community, and built 500-plus infrastructural projects at community level.
Vedanta is the largest producer of aluminium in India and remains the premier manufacturer of metallurgical grade alumina. The company operates a 2 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) capacity alumina refinery and a 90 MW captive power plant in Lanjigarh.
