By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited’s Kapilas Cement Manufacturing Works has undertaken a number of measures in the last two months to help villagers combat COVID-19 pandemic. Among the key steps during the lockdown period, the plant’s management has distributed over 15,000 masks across villages around the plant, provided dry ration to more than 2,000 families and made arrangements for ration and cooked food for truck drivers and their associates. Further, in order to ensure hygiene and sanitisation, the company has distributed 100 litre of Dalmia Sanjivanee sanitizer among villagers and offices.
Dalmia’s cement manufacturing plant is also assisting Self Help Groups by providing mask making training so that they can generate additional source of revenue by making and selling masks. Raw material for mask making has also been provided free of cost during this period so that women in the surrounding villages can make a living even during lockdown and do not face any financial crunch. The plant’s management is also working to sensitize SHGs regarding the various relief measures being carried out by the Centre and state government.
Other key measures include providing sanitizer, masks and gloves to Health & ICDS service providers in 5 gram panchayats under Badchana block. The plant is also supporting an old age home and child care centre with food and medical requirements throughout the lockdown phase.
While some measures have been taken recently to tackle the spread of COVID-19, the company has taken a number of steps over the years as part of its corporate social responsibility to provide sustainable and clean living conditions to villages around the plant. Among these, Dalmia Cement has helped villagers of Biswali and Suniapada to build toilets and make the villages open defecation free.
The company has also promoted organic farming in villages of Chandanpur, Badapokhari and Haridapal and provided clean drinking water facility at Bhagatpur, Biswali, Kushpada, Kanpur and Amiyajhari. Further, the company is facilitating coaching classes for those high school students, who cannot afford private tuition. There are 10 such classes that are being run in local tribal pockets.Kapilas Cement Manufacturing Works has also rebuilt the iconic Malatipatpur bus stand near Puri, which was completely devastated in cyclone Fani.
