Chairman and managing director (CMD) N. Balaram said the use of plastic bottles, plates and other items is now strictly prohibited. While the company had earlier limited plastic use in select areas, the ban has now been extended company-wide to align with the global campaign.
HYDERABAD: In line with this year’s World Environment Day theme i.e. ending plastic pollution globally, Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has announced a complete ban on plastic use across all its mining areas, offices and departments, including its Hyderabad headquarters.
Chairman and managing director (CMD) N. Balaram said the use of plastic bottles, plates and other items is now strictly prohibited. While the company had earlier limited plastic use in select areas, the ban has now been extended company-wide to align with the global campaign. He urged officials, employees and workers to support the initiative and reduce plastic use at home as well.
Balaram, who has planted over 19,000 saplings in the Singareni belt, said this personal effort had inspired many employees and company directors to join tree-planting drives. He encouraged each employee to plant at least three saplings and announced that SCCL would distribute them free of cost.
He noted that sustained plantation efforts have helped reduce temperatures in Singareni areas from over 50°C three decades ago to about 40°C now. By contrast, in Naini, Odisha, where SCCL operates a coal mine, temperatures still cross 50°C. SCCL now plans large-scale plantation activities there too.
At the World Environment Day event held at the SCCL head office, Balaram awarded prizes for an environment-themed essay competition and distributed jute bags to participants. Senior officials including S.D.M. Subhani, executive director (coal movement) and N.V. Rajasekhar Rao, general manager (marketing) attended the event.
