Jharsuguda (Odisha) [India], March 28: Under its flagship “Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene” (WASH) initiative, Vedanta Aluminium has installed bio-toilets and solar powered bore-wells with water purifiers across key locations of Kuraloi in Jharsuguda district benefitting over 5,500 community members.

Gracing the inaugural function and highlighting the region’s need for clean water and improved sanitation infrastructure, Belpahar Municipality Chairman Mr Nimay Charan Panda said, “Access to potable water is a vital community requirement in these regions due to the high levels of iron content present in the ground water. Since scarcity of water and lack of hygienic sanitation infrastructure was another pressing need, especially, with the onset of harsh summer months, I thank Vedanta Aluminium for addressing these critical needs and promoting health, hygiene, and sustainable development in our region.”

Highlighting Vedanta’s community health initiatives, David Stone, CEO, Coal Mines, said, “Our efforts are closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6, which focuses on clean water and sanitation. By enhancing access to safe drinking water and improving sanitation infrastructure in these regions, we aim to create healthier, more resilient communities and drive sustainable development in the areas where we operate.”

Notably, the bio-toilets, strategically installed in schools, Anganwadi centres and community health centres, function through an anaerobic bio-digester system where specially-developed bacteria decompose waste converting it into water, methane and carbon dioxide eliminating the need for manual desludging and promoting sustainable sanitation.

Additionally, the solar powered bore-wells and water purifiers provide potable drinking water to the community members promoting health and hygiene.