Trees are the lifeline of our planet. The advent of civilisation has led to large-scale deforestation. Large patches of forests have given way for fast-paced urban development and public infrastructure. A depleting forest cover heightens the climate crisis. The result is seen in environmental damages such as the Amazon Rainforest fire and rapidly melting ice sheets at Greenland. It is more important than ever before to maintain a healthy proportion of green cover.
At AM International, sustainable green initiatives around our sites are an ongoing activity. Recently, the team at EDAC Engineering undertook a tree plantation drive. The initiative was conducted at Singrauli Super Thermal Power Station (SSTP) located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. EDAC Engineering was recently awarded the contract for renovation & retrofitting of 3 X 200MW ESP of the power station.
India is currently facing the challenge of a decreased tree cover. Studies show that our country has just 28 trees per person. China, for instance, has 102 trees per person, whereas Brazil has 1,494 trees per person. India needs to ramp up its tree cover to ensure economic and environmental sustainability. Accomplishing this goal will require the collective efforts of all its citizens. As the Chinese proverb goes, the best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The next best time is now.
Our team members planted 121 saplings as part of the tree plantation drive. The resulting tree cover will act as an ecological layer to absorb the pollutants such as fly ash and dust emitted by the thermal plant. It will lead to cleaner air and a greener environment. This augurs well for the sustainable health and well-being of the local communities.
The tree plantation drive was conducted in July with the arrival of the monsoons. This helped in the saplings receiving adequate water and vital nutrients naturally. As a part of the initiative, EDAC Engineering has facilitated for watering the plants during the non-monsoon months.
Senior officials from the district administration graced the event. Mr Ramrati Rai, District Forest Officer, Singrauli and Mr Manoj Varma, BHEL Engineer, SSTPP were the chief guests at the programme. Key representatives of EDAC Engineering Mr B.M.Patel, EDAC Site Manager, SSTPP, Mr Prabath Singh, EDAC HSE in-charge, SSTPP and Mr Bala Murugan, EDAC Sr. Engineer – QC, SSTPP were present during the occasion.
The tree plantation drive is the first of many such eco-friendly initiatives undertaken by EDAC Engineering. The event reinforced the organisation’s ecological mindfulness as a critical business responsibility. A quote by Martin O’Malley sums up such efforts, “Reversing deforestation is complicated; planting a tree is simple.”
