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Balconagar; 4th June 2024 । Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), India’s iconic aluminium producer and a part of Vedanta Aluminium, led the communities around its operations on a weeklong observance of Menstrual Health & Hygiene Day (May 28). The initiatives included several grassroots activities aimed at breaking the stigma associated with menstruation and promoting sustainable menstrual health management practices in the rural areas of Korba district, Chhattisgarh.

During the week, BALCO commenced the ‘Supporting Green Periods’ initiative, a capacity building effort coupled with employee volunteerism to promote sustainable menstrual health practices among rural women. The activity aimed to empower women from economically vulnerable families by training them to stitch their own reusable cloth pads, thereby addressing the challenge of period poverty. Reaching over 1,500 adolescents and adults through innovative learning methods, the activities during the week also included traditional games and infotainment sessions that sought to spread awareness and spark open conversations around menstruation.

BALCO, through its project Nayi Kiran, has positively impacted over 60,000 people, undertaking a series of menstrual health awareness initiatives with the objective of improving awareness and fostering sustainable hygiene practices during menstruation.
Maa Beti-Saas Bahu Samelan: It is an innovative human version of the ‘Snake and Ladder’ board game that seeks to facilitate a dialogue on menstrual health. This gamified approach enables women to engage in meaningful conversations, addressing myths and facts about menstruation that either advanced or hindered their progress in the game.
Ratri Chaupal: It is a unique edutainment approach to engaging the community by screening thought-provoking films about menstruation. These films are intended to spark conversations about the behaviors and practices of the characters depicted in the movies.
Chai Pe Charcha: An expert-led session conducted by nutritionists to educate rural women with comprehensive understanding and role of balanced diet to fight the incidence of anemia. Furthermore, the sessions concluded with routine health check-ups of over 500 women led by Gynecologist Dr. Gyatri Sharma for better Menstrual Health & Hygiene Management (MHM).

Safe Spaces Campaign: An initiative partnering with service providers of period products, hospitals, and clinics in target areas to foster openness and mindfulness about menstrual health. By using “Safe Spaces” stickers to challenge societal norms, the campaign promotes awareness and encourages taking a pledge to openly embrace menstrual conversations and transparent packaging.

Institutionalizing Change through Collaboration with Government Line Departments: This initiative seeks to facilitate knowledge exchange and deepen the understanding of MHM with the support of government line departments such as Women and Child Development (WCD), achieving collective goals, with the knowledge and skills necessary to address MHM effectively at different levels.

Emphasizing the importance of health, Mr. Rajesh Kumar, CEO and Director of BALCO, said, “We believe that the health of our community is the foundation of sustainable progress. Through our comprehensive CSR health initiatives, we are committed to ensuring access to quality healthcare, promoting wellness, and building a robust health infrastructure ensuring an equitable life. Through our Project Nayi Kiran, we are empowering every participant to become an ambassador of change while fostering a safe environment for women during menstruation.”

BALCO’s efforts towards enhanced Menstrual Health & Hygiene awareness have been recognized by the Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), which awarded BALCO with the prestigious ASSOCHAM Award 2024 for ‘Maximum Impact by CSR initiative in Menstrual Hygiene-Corporate & PSUs’ on the occasion of World Menstrual Health & Hygiene Day 2024. The project has been recognized with several other awards, a testament of its impact:
• Socio Corp CSR Film Festival & Awards- Best Healthcare Excellence CSR Film – “Sarika Dondro ki Nayi Kiran”- 2023
• ‘Best CSR Initiative on MHM Award’ in the Third MHM India Summit 2023 (The largest conclave on MHM) by Gramalaya.
• SABERA in “Health, Nutrition & Wellbeing” for Community Health Initiatives
• 4th ICC Social Impact Awards 2022 for HealthCare

Project Nayi Kiran was initiated in 2019 in partnership with Sarthak Jan Vikas Sansthan (SJVS). The project aims at demystifying menstrual myths and taboos while promoting sustainable hygiene practices during menstruation, raise awareness about product choices and impart trainings to ensure a safe reproductive health. Since its inception, Nayi Kiran has sensitized 60,000+ people through awareness generation and training in 45 villages of Korba. 600+ community members ranging from adolescent boys & girls, SHG women, and frontline workers (Anganwadi & ASHA workers) have also been taught Menstrual Health Management, enabling them to emerge as master trainers and torchbearers of change in the community.

Balconagar, 30th May, 2024: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), India’s iconic aluminium producer and a part of Vedanta Aluminium, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UltraTech Cement Limited towards the manufacture of low-carbon cement. Under this strategic partnership, BALCO will dispatch 75,000 metric tonnes of fly ash to UltraTech Cement, which will be utilised in the production of cement with a lower carbon footprint. BALCO is a preferred supplier of high-quality fly ash to some of India’s leading cement producers, fostering industrial collaboration towards achieving circular economy.

Fly ash is a by-product generated during the production of thermal power, which caters to the electricity requirements of BALCO’s aluminium plant at Korba. It is a sought-after raw material in the cement industry owing to its inherent cementitious properties, and offers numerous benefits, including reduced water consumption, improved workability, enhanced mechanical properties, and increased durability. Further, being a voluminous industrial by-product, fly ash comes with significant cost and energy advantages as well. In cement manufacturing, every tonne of fly-ash used can help save around 700-800 kg of carbon emissions, 4.2 million KJ of energy, and 341 litres of water.

Fly ash also has several applications beyond cement, including brick manufacturing, road construction, and infrastructure projects. India’s fast-growing economy is witnesses large-scale projects, creating significant scope for the increased usage of fly ash. The high-quality coal used at BALCO’s power plants produces low-sulphur, high-quality ash, making it ideal for cement production, brick manufacturing, road construction, and infrastructure projects. In FY24 alone, BALCO supplied over 4 million metric tonnes to support other industries, achieving an impressive 150% utilization of the fly ash generated through its operations.

Highlighting the significance of the collaboration, Mr. Rajesh Kumar, CEO, BALCO, stated, “At BALCO, we are committed to advancing circular economy initiatives to ensure the effective utilization of industrial by-products. Strategic collaborations like these offer multiple benefits, including enhanced quality, sustainability, and cost advantages for cement manufacturing, while also aiding in effective waste management. Our waste-to-wealth initiatives aim to develop thriving value chains that convert our by-products into valuable resources for other industries, maximizing resource efficiency and promoting environmental sustainability.”

Mr. Praveen Kumar, Sr. General Manager – RM & Fuels East Cluster, UltraTech Cement, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, highlighting the mutual benefits it brings. “Partnering with BALCO aligns with our commitment to sustainable practices. Fly ash utilization in cement production not only enhances product quality but also supports our sustainability efforts.”

Balconagar; 20th May 2024: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), India’s iconic aluminium producer and a part of Vedanta Aluminium, has introduced a digital Ash Control Tower, an innovative solution aimed at revolutionizing its vast ash management network. This high-end technology with real-time artificial intelligence (AI) based monitoring plays a pivotal role in strengthening the robust and sustainable management of ash handling fleet while simultaneously bolstering the safety around the operations.

Fly ash is a by-product of thermal power generation with application in diverse sectors such as brick manufacturing, road construction, infrastructure projects, and agriculture. Supply of fly ash to various industries is a part of the company’s circular economy agenda. BALCO, by partnering with various industries has explored avenues for sustainable utilization of the ash, significantly contributing to reduction of carbon emissions and energy, as well as water conservation. In FY24 alone, BALCO supplied more than 4 million metric tonnes of fly ash to support these sectors. These efforts have culminated in a remarkable 141% ash utilization, highlighting the company’s commitment to maximizing resource efficiency and environmental sustainability.

The Ash Control Tower (ACT) offers real time monitoring to ensure strict adherence to ash management guidelines and streamlines the transportation of ash. The technology facilitates a strong network for hassle-free movement of vehicles, bolstering road safety and traffic management. The geofencing system supplemented with cameras enables end-to-end communication that powers real-time AI-based Video Telematics. Video Telematics uses sensors to provide visibility into driver behavior, and it is often used as part of driver safety and risk management programs.

The 24×7 monitoring system is equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), which improves the safety of the fleet in-charges by detecting and generating alerts for blind spots around the vehicle. This fusion of technology reduces the need for manual checks on the movement and position of the vehicles. Moreover, the comprehensive analytical overview offered by the ACT helps in analyzing the potential risk zones, enabling proactive decision-making while enhancing the preparedness capabilities of patrolling squads.

Speaking about how digitalization is at the core of operations in BALCO, Mr. Rajesh Kumar, CEO & Director of BALCO, said, “BALCO has proactively adopted innovative and targeted digital solutions to realize our vision of operational excellence and sustainable aluminium production. Our digital interventions across diverse operational areas have been crucial in improving efficiency across functions while enhancing our safety culture.”

Digitalization has been an integral part of BALCO’s operations offering a comprehensive analytical overview of the operations:

• The Finished Goods Tower and Coal Control Tower facilitates a 24*7 live monitoring dashboard that offers real-time GPS tracking and speed monitoring, ensuring seamless operations round the clock.
• Integration of AI-driven Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Driver Monitoring Systems (DMS) in internal vehicular operations enhances road safety.
• BALCO houses T-Pulse Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) Monitoring System for ensuring fulfilment of crucial safety protocols, through a network of cameras using most comprehensive AI models, tracking ongoing activity inside the plant in real time.
• The company has Augmented and Virtual Reality Training Centres, Video Analytics, Sustainability Mobile App, E-learning courses, and Digitalization of Workforce Connectivity to enhance leading indicators in safety practices.
• The Centralized Security Operations Centre (CSOC) in the plant leverages digital intelligence and data insights for better decision-making in security, traffic & road safety, and supply chain security functions.
• Real-time data monitoring, facilitated by end-to-end digital dashboards, including projects like the Hot Spot Detection System at coal yard that uses thermal inspection to ensure strict adherence to safety.
• Use of LED logo projectors in the plant, designed to illuminate safety signs on floors, ensuring clear and prominent display of safety messages in low-light conditions, especially in areas with dust accumulation and high vehicular traffic.

Korba, May 11th, 2024: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), India’s iconic aluminium producer and a unit of Vedanta Aluminium, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Shree Cement Limited. This partnership facilitates the dispatch of fly ash from BALCO to Shree Cement Limited to produce low-carbon cement. The agreement involves supplying 90,000 metric tonnes of fly ash, facilitating a significant collaboration for the sustainable utilization of fly ash in the cement industry, thereby promoting circular economy avenues.

Fly ash is a by-product of thermal power generation which has significant potential for beneficial reuse across multiple industries. Utilizing fly ash in cement manufacturing can save approximately 500 kg of carbon emissions, 3.2 million GJ of energy, and 250 litres of water per ton. This practice will contribute to the adoption of sustainable methods within the cement industry, fostering a collaborative approach towards the responsible management of fly ash across industries.

Fly ash finds application in diverse realms such as brick manufacturing, road construction, infrastructure projects, and agriculture. In alignment with BALCO’s commitment to ‘Transform the Planet’, the company has been actively supplying fly ash to various industries, encompassing brick and cement plants, road and infrastructure projects, mines, and more. In FY24 alone, BALCO has supplied more than 4 million metric tonnes of fly ash to support these sectors. These efforts have culminated in a remarkable 141% ash utilization, highlighting our commitment to maximizing resource efficiency and environmental sustainability.

Mr. Rajesh Kumar, CEO, BALCO, highlighted the significance of the collaboration with Shree Cement Limited, stating, “At BALCO, we are dedicated to promoting circular economy avenues to minimize, recycle, and repurpose industrial byproducts, reflecting our steadfast commitment of ‘Transforming for Good’. We recognize the increasing demand for sustainable solutions across industries. Fly ash has emerged as a sustainable raw material to many industries, offering valuable environmental and economic benefits. Redirecting our fly ash as a raw material drives economic growth and reflects our shared responsibility for sustainability.”

Mr. Sanjay Mehta, Chief Procurement Officer from Shree Cement Limited, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, highlighting the mutual benefits it brings. “Partnering with BALCO aligns with our commitment to sustainable practices. Using fly ash in cement production reduces pressure on the finitely available natural resources, cuts carbon emissions and promotes circular economy. This partnership will add to our efforts at sustainably sourcing alternative raw material for our operations. We aim to expand such collaborative efforts in the future.”