Meramandali, January 01, 2024: As part of its commitment to sustainability, Tata Steel Meramandali (TSM), located in Dhenkanal, has launched multiple green initiatives. It has converted the entire streetlight of its township and sports complex to solar power. Today, Chanakya Choudhary, Vice President of Corporate Services, Tata Steel, and Subodh Pandey, Vice President of Operations- TSM, NMB & Graphene, Tata Steel, formally inaugurated these facilities.
The solar-powered lighting initiative at TSM Township underscores Tata Steel’s dedication to eco-friendly practices. Key features of the project include 158 streetlights expected to result in annual savings of 69.2 MWh in conventional power and a reduction of 55.36 tonnes in carbon footprint. Similarly, the sports complex now operates on renewable energy, with more than 100 lights of different wattage, saving 15.2 MWh in conventional power annually and reducing the carbon footprint by 12.08 tonnes annually.
As part of its sustainable journey, TSM has also collaborated with a Dhenkanal-based organization, GD Multiventures, which has set up a plant at Meramandali for making bricks and pavers from fly ash generated by TSM. Along with Chanakya Choudhary and Subodh Pandey, Dr. Abinash Samal, MD of GD Multiventures, inaugurated the plant in the presence of noted entrepreneur of the region, Gangadhar Samal. With a monthly capacity to consume 3000 tons of fly ash and produce 7 lakh units of bricks and pavers, the plant will actively contribute to the local economy and environmental conservation.
TSM has been consistently working on renewable energy to reduce its carbon footprint. The use of solar power for common area illumination in high-rise buildings of TSM township and the service road has led to a carbon footprint reduction of around 42 tonnes annually. All these initiatives will contribute to a total annual carbon footprint reduction of over 100 tonnes from the TSM colony area.
TSM has extended sustainable initiatives to the community as well. Tata Steel Foundation, the CSR arm of the company, had installed a solar-powered drinking water supply system in 8 peripheral villages, a rooftop solar power system in the Sub-divisional hospital in Hindol, and Satchidananda Higher Secondary School in Odapada.