Lanjigarh: Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh unit, India’s premier producer of metallurgical grade alumina, has deployed a Community COVID Awareness Van to strengthen the fight against COVID-19. The company has also launched a month-long awareness campaign to sensitize and educate its employees, business partners and local communities on ways to preventCOVID-19as well as address misconceptions regarding the disease. The van will reach out to 67 villages and public places to spread awareness. It was flagged off by Mr. GG Pal, Dy. – VedantaLanjigarh, along with the company’s leadership.
Since inception, Vedanta Lanjigarh has rolled out deep interventions in the realms of livelihood, education, healthcare, and community infrastructure, and worked with local communities to improve the socio-economic status and overall well-being. Looking at the ongoing threat of COVID-19, the company has now redoubled its efforts to improve the awareness and preparedness of the community members, especially the less educated ones. The Community COVID Awareness Van is a step in this direction.
Flagging off the van, Mr. GG Pal, Deputy CEO, Vedanta Lanjigarh, said, “Since the time COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in early March 2020, globally, extraordinary measures have been adopted to combat the formidable spread of the ongoing outbreak. Under such conditions, people’s adherence to preventive measures is greatly affected by their awareness of the disease. Vedanta Lanjigarh has not only adopted all necessary measures to safeguard our employees from this pandemic, we are striving to ensure that our communities are also safeguarded.OurCommunity COVID Awareness Van is dedicated to spread awareness and prepare people to tackle this pandemic and help control the spread of the disease in the region.”
The company has put in place necessary COVID protocols to ensure the safety and well-being of its employees and families, like:
- COVID Task Force has been created for round-the-clock monitoring of the impact on the entire workforce and families of employees.
- 100% second dose vaccination of all employees, families and business partners has been ensured.
- Vaccination of children of 15-18 years of age, and booster doses for the elderly and front-line employees has been initiated.
- Business continuity plans with reduced workforce and minimum resources are in place.
- All travel is currently restricted, with mandatory COVID test negative report and isolation for anyone travelling due to personal exigencies.
- Scheduled COVID tests are being carried out in plants and townships.
- Sanitation and disinfection drives have been intensified in the plants.
- Telemedicine Facility is being made available wherein patients can connect with the doctors through phone calls or WhatsApp voice calls to get consultation and e-prescription.
- 140-bed COVID Care Centre is operational, with round-the-clock medical surveillance and necessary medical infrastructure.
- Two advance lifesaving ambulances have been pressed in service for exigencies.
- Support to the community in terms of Medical Consultancy, Medicines, Ambulance Support is being extended.
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 (Kalahandi district, Odisha), India 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.
