Tata Steel and ICAR-NRRI Collaborate to improve soil in Odisha
Bhubaneswar – Tata Steel, has joined hands with the Government of Odisha to implement a sustainable agricultural initiative in the state. The collaboration aims to utilize industrial waste, such as basic oxygen furnace (LD) slag and fly ash, as soil amendments to reclaim acidic soils in Odisha. The first consignment of LD slag was flagged Off from Tata Steel Meramandali (TSM) plant in Dhenkanal district on June 18, 2024.
Dr Manish Devnath,Scientist-National Rice Research Institute, Cuttack,Anoop Srivastava- Chief Environment TSM, Alok Ranjan- Chief IBMD Operations, Tata Steel, and other officials from Tata Steel were present at the flag off ceremony.
The project, titled “Economic and Environment Friendly Utilisation of Basic Slag and Fly Ash as Soil Amendments to Reclaim Acid Soils of Odisha (SAFAR),” is being spearheaded by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-National Rice Research Institute (ICAR-NRRI) in Cuttack, Odisha. The initiative is part of the Odisha government’s “Waste to Wealth” program, which promotes a circular economy.
“We are pleased to collaborate with the Government of Odisha and ICAR-NRRI on this important initiative,” said Rajiv Mangal, Vice President – Safety, Health & Sustainability, Tata Steel. “By utilizing our industrial by-products, we can contribute to the reclamation of acidic soils and support sustainable agriculture in the state. This partnership aligns with Tata Steel’s commitment to environmental stewardship and promoting circular economy principles.”
Commending Tata Steel on the initiative Er. Ramesh Kumar Ekka, Senior Environmental Engineer and Regional Officer, State Pollution Control Board, Angul, Odisha said, “Utilisation of bulk generated industrial solid waste like fly ash and LD slag has become big challenges for Iron and Steel sectors. However, Tata Steel has taken a good initiative in collaboration with Government of Odisha and ICAR-NRRI on reclamation of acid soil with such industrial waste in the districts of Dhenkanal, Angul and Jajpur. My best wishes for such scientific initiatives towards utilisation of industrial solid waste”.
Tata Steel will be responsible for providing the necessary quantities of LD slag and fly ash generated in its Integrated Iron and Steel plants at to be used as soil amendments in targeted districts of Odisha, including Dhenkanal, Angul, and Jajpur.The soil amendments will be produced and distributed in two phases – before the Kharif (monsoon) crop season and before the Rabi (winter) crop season. This timeline ensures that the amendments are available to farmers during the critical planting periods.
The project has also received approval from the State Pollution Control Board, Odisha, in line with the Fly Ash Notification and Central Pollution Control Board guidelines on the management of Pyro-Metallurgical Slags.
ICAR-NRRI is a premier research institute under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Government of India dedicated to advancing rice research and technology.
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Sarvesh Kumar,Chief Corporate Communications, Tata Steel, sarvesh.kumar@tatasteel.com
About Tata Steel
- Tata Steel group is among the top global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of 35 million tonnes per annum.
- It is one of the world’s most geographically diversified steel producers, with operations and commercial presence across the world.
- The group recorded a consolidated turnover of ~US$30.3 billion in the financial year ending March 31, 2023.
- A Great Place to Work-CertifiedTMorganisation, Tata Steel Limited, together with its subsidiaries, associates, and joint ventures, is spread across five continents with an employee base of over 77,000.
- Tata Steel has announced its major sustainability objectives including Net Zero Carbon by 2045.
- The Company has been on a multi-year digital-enabled business transformation journey intending to be the leader in ‘Digital Steel making by 2025’. The Company has received the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse recognition for its Jamshedpur, Kalinganagar, and IJmuiden Plants.
- Tata Steel aspires to have a 20% diverse workforce by 2025. The Company has been recognised with the World Economic Forum’s Global Diversity Equity & Inclusion Lighthouse 2023.
- The Company has been a part of the DJSI Emerging Markets Index since 2012 and has been consistently ranked amongthe top 10 steel companies in the DJSI Corporate Sustainability Assessment since 2016.
- Tata Steel’s Jamshedpur Plant is India’s first site to receive ResponsibleSteelTMCertification. Subsequently, its Kalinganagar and Meramandali plants have also received the certification. In India, Tata Steel now has more than 90% of its steel production from ResponsibleSteelTM certified sites.
- Received Prime Minister’s Trophy for the best performing integrated steel plant for 2016-17, 2023 Steel Sustainability Champion recognition from worldsteel for six years in a row, 2022 ‘Supplier Engagement Leader’ recognition by CDP, Top performer in Iron and Steel sector in Dun & Bradstreet’s India’s top 500 companies 2022, Ranked as the 2023 most valuable Mining and Metals brand in India by Brand Finance, ‘Most Ethical Company’ award 2021 from Ethisphere Institute, and ‘Best Corporate for Promotion of Sports’ recognition at the Sportstar Aces Awards 2024.
- Received the 2023 ERM (Enterprise Risk Management) Award of Distinction at the RIMS ERM Conference 2023, ‘Masters of Risk’ – Metals & Mining Sector recognition at The India Risk Management Awards for the seventh consecutive year, and Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting FY20 from ICAI, among several others.
