Jharsuguda, Odisha; November 6, 2024: Vedanta Aluminium, India's largest producer of
aluminium, successfully conducted an extensive awareness campaign in Jharsuguda to
observe Global Handwashing Day 2024. The campaign, themed “Why are clean hands still
important?” reached out to residents across 28 villages. The initiative not only emphasized
the importance of handwashing but also highlighted essential hygiene practices to enhance
community health.
The campaign featured interactive awareness sessions, focusing on both proper
handwashing techniques and other crucial hygiene practices such as maintaining clean
surroundings, personal cleanliness, and safe food handling. More than 3,000 community
members actively participated, learning how these simple yet effective actions can prevent
the spread of diseases.
Demonstrations on correct handwashing were followed by interactive sessions with health
experts, where participants were encouraged to ask questions and deepen their
understanding of comprehensive hygiene practices. Participants also showcased their
knowledge during practical demonstrations, and the individual with the best handwashing
demonstration was awarded a health kit to promote healthy habits.
Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Sunil Gupta, Chief Operating Officer, Vedanta Aluminium,
said, “At Vedanta Aluminium, we believe in the power of small actions to drive big changes.
This campaign on Global Handwashing Day is part of our larger commitment to improve the
health and well-being of the communities we operate in. By encouraging good hygiene
practices, we aim to prevent the spread of diseases and create a healthier environment for
everyone.”
Bhavani Buda, who received the health kit for their outstanding demonstration, added,
“Learning about basic hygiene practices has been eye-opening for me. These are small but
impactful changes we can make in our daily lives to ensure better health for ourselves and
our families.”
Dr. Jayanarayan Pujari, doctor at Mobile Health Unit said "Handwashing is one of the
simplest yet most effective ways to prevent the spread of infections. Educating communities
about proper handwashing techniques and overall hygiene practices is crucial for
maintaining public health and reducing disease transmission."
Ms. Labanga Bag, Sarpanch of Brundamal spoke about this initiative, “This Global
Handwashing Day as we observed the successful week-long initiatives that brought our
community together to promote the crucial practice of handwashing. These activities have
not only educated us on the importance of hygiene but also fostered a sense of responsibility
Sensitivity: Public (C4)
for our health and the health of those around us. Let us continue to embrace this simple yet
powerful habit, ensuring a healthier future for everyone”
Through this campaign, Vedanta Aluminium continues to demonstrate its commitment to
uplifting communities around its operations, through the adoption of better health and
hygiene practices
Vedanta’s social interventions in the domains of education, healthcare, livelihood, skill
development, grassroots sports, art & culture, with a focus on women and child
development, reach out to nearly 80 villages in Jharsuguda and nearby areas, benefiting
over 3 lakh people in a year. It empowers almost 5,000 women from over 350 SHGs,
provides doorstep healthcare services to about 50,000 people annually, gives educational
support to more than 13,000 students, has planted almost 1.50 lakh trees in partnership with
locals at the community level.
Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India's largest producer of aluminium,
manufacturing more than half of India's aluminium i.e., 2.37 million tonnes in FY24. It is a
leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries.
Vedanta Aluminium ranks 1st in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023
world rankings for the aluminium industry, a reflection of its leading sustainable development
practices. 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.