Indus Valley Times

By Pramod Kumar Sahukar

Lanjigarh (Odisha), Nov 4 : Vedanta Limited, Lanjigarh, India’s premier producer of metallurgical grade alumina, is fostering a plethora of waste-to-wealth MSMEs in Kalahandi district, Odisha. The company has been supplying lime grit to local brick manufacturers, helping turn industrial by-products into value-added products for a circular economy.

Lime grit is a by-product of refining bauxite (the ore of aluminium) to produce alumina (or aluminium oxide, an intermediary product in the production of aluminium). It has a variety of applications, from being used to whiten paper, to poultry feed and even as a close alternative to gypsum. Vedanta Lanjigarh produces around 10,500 metric tonnes of lime grit every year, out of which nearly half is reused within the plant in various operations. Similarly, thermal power generation within the company leads to the formation of fly ash, another industrial by-product. To ensure maximum utilization of both materials, the company has been supplying them to local brick manufacturers.

With similar properties as that of gypsum, lime grit is a good alternative in the manufacturing of fly ash bricks, without compromising on their strength and quality. This initiative of converting industrial by-products into circular materials, is both helping ensure environmental sustainability and creating avenues for sustainable livelihood in the region through development of rural enterprises. Initiatives such as these have seen the fly ash brick industry grow considerably in the region. From none a few years back, there are more than 20 such MSMEs just in the periphery of the company’s operations.

Speaking of the initiative, Mr GG Pal, Dy. CEO – Alumina Business, Vedanta Limited, said, “Our operations at Vedanta Lanjigarh are governed by the principles of Zero Waste and Zero Discharge. By creating circular economy value chains using industrial by-products like fly ash and lime grit, we are bringing together environmental excellence and community development for true sustainability. This initiative also fuels the entrepreneurial spirit of the local communities, inspiring them to be active participants in the region’s development.”

Vedanta Lanjigarh has promoted entrepreneurship in various ways in the region, be it by supporting locals in opening grocery stores, xerox shops, rice mills or teaching them skills of tailoring and pottery. This has helped create a flourishing ecosystem of rural entrepreneurs in the region, who have become an integral part of the region’s economy.

Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.26 million tonnes in FY22. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 4th in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) 2021 world rankings for aluminium industry, a reflection of its sustainable development practices. The company operates a 2 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) capacity alumina refinery in Lanjigarh (Kalahandi district, Odisha), India since 2007 and an associated 75 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.