· Opened a 100-bed Vedanta Cares COVID Field Hospital in Bokaro where over 2000 people have been vaccinated after collaborating with the District Administration and the Health Department
· About 500 metric tonnes of Liquid Medical Oxygen supplied to Jharkhand, Bihar, and Punjab
· Committed to providing 5500 oxygen regulators
· Organised webinars to create COVID awareness among 300 SHG members and rural women
· In 2020, SHG women stitched 10,380 masks. Aiming for 5000 masks this year
· More than 4579 employees, business partners and villagers vaccinated
India, June 15, 2021: With the Jharkhand Government aiming to build a health corridor in the state, ESL Steel has aligned itself to enhance the health infrastructure of the state and help it in dealing with the second wave of the pandemic. Also supporting Vedanta’s commitment to the health and safety of each of its employees, community members and business partners, ESL Steel Limited has taken all possible steps to keep all its stakeholders safe from this pandemic.
Recently, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren virtually inaugurated the 100-bed Vedanta COVID Care Field Hospital. The hospital has 10 ICU beds, 10 stand-down ICUs, 40 child care units and 40 oxygen beds for COVID patients.
The field hospital will act as an extension of Sadar Hospital, Bokaro, with the most experienced and trusted doctors of the district keeping a close watch on the patients.
Appreciating the COVID relief initiatives of Vedanta ESL, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren said, “I’m thankful to Vedanta Group and Chairman Anil Agarwal, for building a modern, well-equipped hospital in a short span of time. I’m sure this field hospital will act as a COVID relief centre not only for Bokaro but also for adjoining districts – Giridih, Dhanbad and Ramgarh. My government is ready to build a health corridor in Jharkhand. I want to make Jharkhand free from COVID and other diseases like malnutrition and TB. Along with this, we’re also focusing on education, rural empowerment and industrial development with the help of corporates like Vedanta. I really appreciate the initiatives taken by Vedanta ESL for the community.”
Together with the District and State Administration, the steel major has been constantly rolling out newer initiatives to help tide over the second wave of the pandemic that has wreaked havoc across India.
Following the requirements of the government, ESL Steel Limited has delivered about 500 oxygen cylinders during the pandemic period. Simultaneously, about 500 metric tonnes of liquid medical oxygen has been supplied to Jharkhand, Bihar and Punjab. Other than that, ESL is committed to providing 5500 oxygen regulators to the District and State Government.
Hon’ble Health Minister of Jharkhand, Banna Gupta stated “I’m grateful to ESL Steel Limited for providing 1500 oxygen flow meters to the Jharkhand Health Department in this time of need. I thank ESL management for their continuous support and assure all cooperation from our side to the company. I believe working together can defeat the pandemic.”
In 2020, ESL supported the District Administration by distributing food, refreshments, and dry ration to more than 80,100 beneficiaries.
Always committed towards Community Welfare
ESL’s CSR team has organised six vaccination camps so far and vaccinated 579 villagers.
The company has delivered life-saving equipment to the CSE Hospital, Chandankiyari, Bokaro and held COVID awareness and prevention campaigns in 20 villages among its stakeholders such as community, activists, and PRI members.
Recently, ESL held a webinar to spread COVID awareness among 300 Self-Help Group (SHG) members and rural women in Bokaro. The webinar, held under ESL’s Project JIVIKA, briefed the women on how to fight Covid-19 while highlighting the importance of vaccination. The members were also educated on ways to protect themselves and their family members from Covid-19. The webinar threw light on some crucial COVID facts and directed the women about the available resources in the community for them. Additionally, the steel major distributed masks and sanitizers among them as a token of care.
In 2020, SHG women made 10,380 masks. With the same courage and hard work, they have started the process of making 5,000 more masks this year.
Employees & Business partners – ESL’s Foremost Priority
ESL has vaccinated nearly 4,000 of its employees and business partners through multiple camps held within the company’s plant premises.
For ESL, its employees are a priority. The company has distributed more than 3,000 PPE kits to its workforce, District Administration, State Government and frontline workers during the pandemic. About 5,050 sanitizer bottles have been distributed to ESL workers, nearby villages and the government. ESL considers its employees its strength, with whose cooperation and courage today ESL is moving ahead by overcoming all the difficult situations.
Commanding ESL’s efforts, Vedanta Chairman, Anil Agarwal said, “Safety of our employees and society at large is our priority. I appreciate all the initiatives taken by ESL for community welfare. Recently, Vedanta ESL built a special, fully-equipped COVID Relief hospital, which shall be very effective in dealing with the second wave of the pandemic. The medical professionals at the field hospital will provide free consultation services to the patients. I assure ESL full support in the times to come and I’m grateful to the Jharkhand Government that has always kept faith in our efforts and us.”
N.L. Vhatte, CEO, ESL Steel Limited said, “Apart from providing oxygen to Jharkhand and adjoining states, ESL is making every effort to fight this pandemic. For us, our priority is to vaccinate all employees, community members and their families. So far, we have vaccinated 4,000 of our employees and their families. By supporting the SHG women, ESL is empowering them so that they can fight this epidemic. Apart from that, a continuous sanitization process is going on in the plant. We are also helping the government during these tough times and hope to overcome this epidemic very soon.”
In collaboration with the District Administration and the Health Department, a vaccination camp was held at the Vedanta Cares COVID Field Hospital last week.
The camp, which saw active participation, catered to people between the age group of 18 – 44 years. ESL plans to hold more of these in the future too.ESL has pledged to continue serving the government, community, and its employees through its initiatives. The process of supplying oxygen to various places is still in progress. ESL’s COVID Task Force team is serving the nation with all possible efforts. The management is taking all possible steps to keep the employees of the company safe in this difficult situation.
