Initiatives

“HARIT MAH KA SAPNA KARE SAKAR, HARA BHARA PARIWESH RAHEY, LAGEY VRIKSHO KA AMBAAR”

June is observed as a Green Month in West Bokaro Division of Tata Steel every year and throughout the month several programmes are organised to create awareness for environment protection and to take initiatives against global warming.

This year ‘Green Month’ was launched by Mr. Sanjay Rajoria, Chief, Quarry E, HWM & Mine Planning, Tata Steel West Bokaro Division, on 1st June, by hoisting the Green Flag from Administrative Building at West Bokaro. Tata Steel has always paid serious attention to protect environment since its inception and the Company is also committed to reduce CO2 emissions with the objective of combating global warming.  It has long initiated the development of green belt cover on dumping sites and planted lakhs of saplings around West Bokaro. Mr. Sanjay Rajoria also informed that Division has plans to plant trees, which have more capacity for CO2 absorption from environment. West Bokaro also has the distinction of being the first Coal Mine in India to be given the EMS- ISO -14001 Certification. The slogan for the environment campaign is ‘Ek Pead Lagao aur Baaki Pead Bachao’.

Representatives of the Environment Cell informed that this year around 90,000 thousand saplings would sprout during monsoon season, on the QA dumpsite. The Division will also celebrate World Environment Day on 5th June like every year in which ‘Prabhat Pheri’ and other programmes will be organised for schoolchildren to participate.

West Bokaro Division has fully mechanised eco-friendly open cast mines producing 6 MT Raw Coal per year. Among several environment awards won by the Division are Indira Priyadarshini Vriksha Mitra Award, National Energy Award, National Safety Award, PM Shram Awards and OHSAS (Occupational Health, Safety Assessment Series) 18001, other than 15 prizes won in Annual Mines Safety Week-2010 and many other awards in different areas like Quality, customer orientation etc.

A mines water project was commissioned by TSRDS, Jharia on 31st May 2011 in the Sijua No-6 slum at the vicinity of Sijua Colliery. This is part of the initiative to cover all the leasehold areas and pheripherial villages through piped water projects. The slum has a population of around 900 with 150 family units in it. Previously this area faced acute water crisis not only in spheres of domestic use but also for drinking purposes. Taking stock of the situation, TSRDS in consultation with the local Ward Councilor Mr. Pyarelal Mahato initiated this piped water project. The people of Sijua has appreciated this Tata Steel initiative wholeheartedly.

Tata Steel in association with World Wide Fund for Nature- India is organising a tree plantation drive across ten cities in India. The tree plantation programme will be led by children from schools across the country through their nature clubs. The plant a seed programme will start from second week of July.

Cities: Kolkata,  New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bhopal, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Bhubaneswar and Guwahati

TSRDS celebrated World Environment Day on 18th June at RTC Pipla along with camp school girls and SHG members. The Chief Guest of the programme was Mr. Arun Mishra, PEO Tata Steel and other guest were Mr. Debdoot Mohanty, Hony Secretary & Ms. Dilith Castleton, Hony Jt Secretary, TSRDS, Ms Shalini Kujur, PL, Empowerment, Ms Mahima Chandra, Manager and Mr. Sisir Tarafder, Unit Head, Bamnipal.

The welcome address was given by Mrs. Dilith Castleton, Hony. Joint Secretary. In her welcome note she mentioned the importance of environment and briefly mentioned the progress report of the camp school.

An art competition was organized on the environment day and the prize was distributed by the Chief Guest to the winners of the competition. Various cultural programme was carried out by the girls of camp school Pipla.

The tree was planted by the chief guest inside the school campus. The program was attended by 150 people. The women self help group have taken the initiative to plant 25000 trees in the area.

Recognition of the Zoological Park at Jamshedpur was required under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. This has been achieved and it is now approved by the Central Zoo Authority, Government of India, New Delhi. This has been recognized under the category of a Small Zoo. The Zoological Park in Jamshedpur serves several objectives. Among these are –

• Identification of local species of flora and fauna.
• Encouraging studies by researchers and students on animals and local species of plants.
• Spreading awareness amongst people about the need to conserve biodiversity.
• Providing a breathing space for citizens.

As per a study, the mean temperature range of Jamshedpur city was recorded as 27.57 C to 35.72 C from January to June while the mean temperature range of the Jubilee Park varied from 22.80 C to 31.14 C. The maximum mean temperature difference was recorded (10.95 C) in March. Thus, the temperature difference between the two environments is substantial and the park area always remains cooler than the rest of the city.

Thus, the level of acceptable thermal condition for residents of the steel city may be due to the presence of The Jubilee Park. It makes the environment of Jamshedpur more endurable.

TSRDS is providing the technical and motivational support for watershed activities under the Draught Prone Areas Project in Chotkidundi and Bargaon areas in West Bokaro. The activities, carried out by Chotkidundi and Kumarwarnalla watershed committees started with a simple method of soil and water conservation - the construction of gully plugs.

The flow of rainwater causes erosion of topsoil, forming gullies that go on increasing in size as erosion continues. To prevent this, barriers or plugs made of different kinds of material are arranged in the gully in series from top to bottom across the depression. The technique is inexpensive, as it only requires locally available boulders. Several meetings were organised with audio-visual aids demonstrating the benefits of these structures, especially in hilly and sloped areas. After the badly affected areas were identified the actual work was done by the stakeholders themselves with TSRDS monitoring the activities.

The project has helped to check soil erosion in more than 50 acres of land and increase farmland fertility in adjoining areas due to an increase in water availability on account of a rise in groundwater level. 

Tata Steel's Research and Development Department has developed a novel H2H technology to generate hydrogen-rich gas by utilising the heat of molten slag. This process was demonstrated on a pilot project basis using a set-up with ten tonnes slag capacity, designed and developed in house with the help of Tata Growth Shop. The gas that was produced contained over 70 per cent hydrogen. This process is poised to be a significant step in making the steel industry cleaner and more energy efficient. Benefits of this method include:

• The potential to generate low cost hydrogen as by-product.
• Reduction in consumption of fossil fuels in steel plants.
• Saving the amount of energy consumed in production of hydrogen in the chemical industry.
• The novel H2H technology is environment-friendly and does not cause major disturbance in existing plant operations.

This project bagged the innovation award at the JRD QV Nite 2009.International and Indian patent applications have been filed and work is now in progress at the Ferro Alloys plant to optimise the process for commercialisation.

A knowledge sharing session on Environmental impact of open cast and underground mines was held on 15th October 2009 at the conference hall, PTI, Jamadoba. Senior members of the Safety & Environment Division and other staff members of PTI and the environment cell participated in the discussion, the objective of which was to improve environment performance of the Jharia Division. Several suitable suggestions were made and some of the recommendations will be implemented to improve environmental performance after a feasibility study.

TSRDS, Bamnipal organised a plantation programme called ‘Banomohasthab' at Patana village on August 26th, 2009. As many as 400 saplings were planted in Patana Primary School campus and the community land with eager participation from local Youth Club members, Women SHG Members and school children who were appreciated for their commitment to the cause of environment. Incidentally, saplings that were planted in the previous year registered hundred percent survival rate, adding significant boost to greening initiatives in the region.

A new additional water softener was inaugurated on August 19, 2009 at the Bhelatand Water Treatment Plant thereby increasing its capacity from 2400 KLD to 2700 KLD. The additional water that is being treated is sent to overhead tanks in Adarsh Nagar Colony, realising a long pending requirement of supplying treated water to all the quarters in the Colony. This has been a welcome measure for all residents and also a significant step in water conservation through recycle and reuse of mine water for household purposes.

The Centenary Rose Garden inside Jamshedpur Works celebrated the first rose harvest with a variety of Dutch rare roses on August 7, 2009. Conceptualised and initiated by Mr. H M Nerurkar, the main objective of the Centenary Rose Garden was to produce quality roses under protected conditions. The area under production in polyhouse is 560 square metres. The garden has over 3000 roses nurturing varieties like Naranga (Orange), Gold Strike (Yellow), First Red (Red) and Noblesse (Pink).

Tata Steel Employees had instituted a part-time task force that undertook the job of improving the landscaping and greenery along the roads inside the premises. Subsequently another a team had been formed to identify the areas inside the premises that were uncovered and in need of improvement measures to reduce fugitive dust inside the works. The team formed for implementing the recommendations completed the project in two phases on July 25th, 2009.

Steel scrap amounting 350 tonnes, that had hitherto been covered by muck was amassed as a result of the entire project. Thus, this improvement initiative not only led to the betterment of workplace environment and enhanced safety in the area but also benefited the Company through the sale of scrap worth Rs. 50 lakhs.

TSRDS, Sukinda has started its plantation activities in the peripheral villages to the mines. With a target of planting 13,000 saplings, 2,000 saplings have been planted in the first phase at Goramia (Siriakholi) village under Kankad Pal Gram Panchayat. Members of the Panchayat, ward members and members of the Youth Club have taken proactive roles in the plantation programme.

The Environment Department of Tata Steel organised a plantation programme at the dumping areas of the Khondbandh iron ore mine where 12,000 fruit bearing plant saplings were planted. Primarily, this would ensure considerable reduction of soil erosion in the area and help in conserving the quality of cultivable land. Incidentally, this is the first time that a beautiful park with fruit bearing has been envisioned in a mining dump area. More such programmes are on the anvil for other mining areas of the Company.

In pursuit of the Company's Vision 2012, in the year 2008-09, it has focused on addressing climate change issues. Energy saving and CO₂ emission reduction initiatives have given encouraging results. Tata Steel also participated in the Tata Group's initiatives for Carbon Foot Print Exercise with the help of M/s McKenzie and M/s E&Y. The Company is vigorously pursuing CDM (clean development mechanism) projects for availing carbon credit, which are awarded at various stages of approval and implementation. Tata Steel has enthusiastically participated in the Steel Task Force initiatives of the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (APPCDC) under the aegis of the Ministry of Steel, Government of India.

The main reason for significant reduction in specific water pollutants and specific water consumption in FY 09 was the reduction in water losses and commissioning of wastewater recovery system at Garam Nala effluent drain. Reclamation and tree plantation measures continued at the Steel Works and other divisions of the steel company. The development of a garden in front of the H Blast Furnace and Dutch rose cultivation at the Steel Works are the unique additions to Jamshedpur Steel Works during FY ‘09.

Tata Steel Works upgraded its EHS Management System to OHSAS 18001:2007 and continued to maintain the ISO 14001: 2004 Standards. In FY`09, the focus was on specialised training from external agencies such as CII for OHSAS 18001:2007, E&Y for Carbon Foot Print, awareness on climate change and other environment issues on World Environment Day, June 5, 2008.

The Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS), considered to be a tool for taking corrective measures for maintaining stack emission quality within prescribed limits, is expected to be operational at the Tata Steel Works by September 2009 in adherence to the norms of Corporate Responsibility for Environment Protection. The scope of the project includes continuous Ambient Air Quality (AAQ) Monitoring Stations at four locations, measurement of Stack Pollutant Gases and measurement of Particulate Matter. There will be a Mobile Van for monitoring AAQ and a display at the Main Entrance Gate to indicate Ambient Air Quality to the public. CEMS will also monitor the flow of works drain water at three locations. A server with CEMS software and a workstation for data monitoring have also been installed at the Works. Moreover, it will help in generating reports for submission to the Pollution Control Board.

As a part of its continuing involvement with environmental awareness, the Sukinda Division of Tata Steel organised a programme on environment and mineral awareness on December 14, 2008. The Society of Geoscientists and allied technologists had come forward to lend their expertise making sure that the event was a successful step in an ongoing process. Children from fourteen schools in Sukinda, Daitary and Jajpur Road eagerly participated in interactive learning sessions in which they were made aware of the interesting details in the process of mining including a practical, hands-on training in identifying minerals.

In order to make the programme more application oriented, there was an essay writing competition and a quiz contest held for participants in which Daitary High School emerged as champions in the group category. As students went home with newly imbibed knowledge and prizes won, Tata Steel's ‘Green Business' mantra was sowed once again where it would blossom most – in the minds of the young.

Tata Steel, Sukinda has continued to capture environmental headlines for a long time and it won four prizes – two firsts and two seconds- at the Mines Environment and Minerals Conservations week in February (2nd–8th) this year. Improving water management and sedimentation methods have always taken top priority among Sukinda's many environmental initiatives and its groundbreaking innovations in this field brought for it a well-deserved first prize. The installation and use of a mechanical beneficiation facility made it a twin success. However, at the Sukinda mines, concern for mining environment and conservation of minerals is not an isolated initiative and this was again established as a fact as Sukinda was awarded two second prizes for its regular propaganda based awareness programmes and its comprehensive performance in maintaining environmental health.

The Manganese Mines of the Ferro Alloys & Mineral Division of Tata Steel was also honoured by the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) for its harmonious co-existence with nature. The Manganese Mines bagged seven group awards and two individual awards from IBM. The awards were presented to Tata Steel for its improved environmental management practices.

From the very inception of the Dharma port project, Tata Steel was duly concerned with the objections raised by different environmental organizations on the grounds that it would pose a threat to the Olive Ridley Turtles, the marine and island eco-system. DPCL (Dhamra Port Company Ltd.- a 50:50 Joint Venture between Larsen & Toubro and Tata Steel) initiated its collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to conserve the turtles, study the possible environmental impact and draw up a larger environmental plan.

A team of Company Executives and environment experts visited Bhitarakanika National Park, Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary and the Dhamra Port site on February 2009, supervising the ongoing dredging operations. In order to alleviate all doubts it was agreed that an additional biological impact assessment study would be carried out in close collaboration with the NGOs by a team of scientists mutually approved. However, immediately after this, the dissenting NGO team suddenly reversed and insisted upon complete cessation of on going dredging operation of Dhamra Port even before the commencement of any study. DPCL on the other hand was ready to adjust its work schedule and took its own initiative to facilitate the study after due recommendation by the Scientists team. Subsequently a consultative workshop was arranged in Bhubaneswar from 24th to 25th Feb 2009 by IUCN and DPCL wherein nearly 60 environmental and social organisations participated. The Wild Life Institute of India, The Fisherman Association, Govt of Orissa, Winrock International were present amongst others. Participants discussed and debated scientific information and development agendas with the aim to ensure long-term security for Olive Ridley turtles and the ecosystems on which they depend. During the workshop it was categorically informed by IUCN scientists that the dredging operation for Dhamra is not affecting the nesting of Olive Ridley Turtles in The Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary. Year 2009 has seen thousands of Olive Ridley Turtles seeking out their favourite breeding haven in the coast of Bay of Bengal with the lights of dharma port blinking somewhere in the distance.

Flowers speak many languages. At the first annual flower show held by the West Bokaro Division on January 3rd and 4th, 2009, the only message that rang out was that “Earth Matters”. The persistent efforts of this division of Tata Steel in the improvement of the local flora has recently seen result in the many and varied flowers and green plants that are grown in and around the colliery. The Flower show had been organised both as a motivational gesture and as an opportunity to recognise different horticultural initiatives and accomplishments.

The Butterfly Park established in February '09 at Noamundi as a part of the Dorabji Tata Botanical Park seeks to provide a habitat and conducive breeding environment for butterflies, which are a useful member of our eco-system and are fast disappearing.

The Butterfly Park is an oasis for sore eyes. The habitat of butterflies spread over 550 sq.ft. is a devised enclosure that strives to simulate the desired environment as closely as possible. Colourful flowering pots, terracotta models, earthen fixtures and artificial waterfalls and fountains lure even the most elusive of these creatures into the enclosure. To ensure that over 350 varieties of butterflies actually nest here, temperature control devices have been effectively installed.

The objective of The World Environment Day (WED), June 5th, celebrations at the SATHI Community Care Centre, Bahadurpeta, Gopalpur was to create awareness on saving the environment and on environment cleanliness. The highlights were on planting more trees and saving the existing ones; and to mark the occasion, ten ornamental plants were sown by the HIV/AIDS afflicted.

Joda West Manganese Mines observed the World Environment Day (WED) at Bichhakundi Manganese Mines on the theme "Unite to combat climate change”. All the officers, supervisors, workers, partners, camp residents, members of Mahila Samiti and Self Help Groups (SHG) took part in the rally organised for the occasion.

People from Joda valley and the mine-town of Noamundi joined hands in large numbers to celebrate WED 2009 and participated in various events organised by Tata Steel. The festivity included quiz contests, art and essay competitions, auto emission checks, mass plantation, drama, Nukkad Natak, exhibition, Prabhat Pheri in its long list of informative entertainment. A grand exhibition at the Central Play Ground was the main attraction of the day's series of events. Practical demonstrations were held on safe practices and ways to eliminate hazardous acts. There was a display of personal protective equipment as well. A Community Hall, constructed by TSRDS was dedicated to the villagers in Murgabeda village, adjacent to Noamundi. Members of women's organisations, school children, employees and residents of Noamundi came together in a mass plantation of fruit bearing trees in the mine face at Kalimati Iron ore Mine.

The World Environment Day (WED) celebrated on June 05, '09, happens to be an occasion that calls for boundless celebration at Tata Steel. Being an organisation that has always been committed to not only local issues but also to the cause of a better environment in the global perspective, The World Environment day is a big event in the Company calendar.

The WED Prabhat Pheri was a heavily attended event at the West Bokaro Division and had an appealing slogan displayed in colourful banners – “Harit maa ka yeh paigam, ped laganna sabka kaam”(it is everybody's duty to plant more trees). The focus was also on the tree plantation drive held extensively in local villages. June had been declared a “Green month” at the West Bokaro Division and awareness programmes were arranged regularly throughout the month. Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS) at Jamadoba too, marked the celebrations by distributing and planting saplings along railway tracks in an effort to check dust pollution.

At the Bhelatand Colliery, apart from tree plantation, several interactive events were arranged in which children showed a lot of enthusiasm. The Jharia Division had chosen a theme on World Environment Day –“Your planet needs you”. This message was carried to the people in different programmes that focused on enhancing environmental awareness in general.