The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
LANJIGARH, APRIL 25, 2022
Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh unit, India’s premier producer of metallurgical grade alumina, has kick started a week-long health sensitization campaign for local communities on World Malaria Day. In line with the theme ‘harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives’, the company is reaching out to nearly 12,600 people residing in 28 villages of Lanjigarh, in Kalahandi district of Odisha, through rallies, public participation, intervention in schools, audio-visual messages, and more.
Though Lanjigarh Block used to be a malaria-prone area, the cases have significantly reduced since Vedanta Aluminium joined forces with the Kalahandi District Administration’s efforts to eradicate the disease. Looking at the lack of awareness about the disease and preventive measures amongst local residents, Vedanta Aluminium has been running an intensive Malaria Control Program in the region with the aim to empower individuals and communities to protect themselves from malaria through grassroots level campaigns, and in the process save valuable lives. To that end, the company is scaling up prevention and control measures along with sustained efforts for reliable case-detection through robust surveillance, sustained investments for better case management through testing, treating and tracking. Vedanta Aluminium’s interventions have helped reduce the number of malaria positive cases in the region significantly.
Speaking about the program, Vedanta Limited Lanjigarh Deputy CEO GG Pal said, “Vedanta has been mobilizing resources to beat malaria by covering the last mile to reach the most vulnerable people. In this fight, we have deployed into action an entire ecosystem of levers that includes the Vedanta Hospital, our Mobile Health Unit, community development officers, partners and community institutions.”
Reiterating its commitment to make Lanjigarh a malaria-free region, Vedanta Limited, on the occasion of World Malaria Day today, organized various programs such as rally, drawing competition, demonstration of mosquito net use, etc. at the Government Primary School in Raghunathpur to make school children and local communities aware about the disease.
Appreciating the initiative, Kamlakant Barik, Secretary – Punaruthan Voluntary Organistion, the implementing partner for the malaria control program said, “Vedanta is committed to making Lanjigarh a malaria-free region and we are proud to partner with the company in such a cause.”
Vedanta Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest manufacturer of aluminium, producing half of India’s aluminium i.e., 1.97 million tonnes in FY21. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. The company operates a 2 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) capacity alumina refinery in Lanjigarh since 2007 and an associated 90 MW captive power plant. With its world-class aluminium smelters, alumina refinery and power plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.
