OREANDA-NEWS. June 14, 2012. Planning Commission deputy chairperson Mr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment and Forests, Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan presented The Three Leaves Award to Essar Steel Limited, Hazira, Gujarat, at a function, in New Delhi on June 4, 2012.

At a time when the Indian iron and steel industry is struggling to meet green norms, Essar Steel India, Hazira emerged as a silver lining in the dark cloud by winning the Three Leaves Award, the highest amongst the Indian steel plants, instituted by the Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) Green Rating Project (GRP), a project sponsored by Ministry of Environment & Forest and UNDP, for its green credentials. The company has received this recognition, further to its adherence and in depth assessment to the various 150 parameters such as stakeholder perception, technology to process efficiency, pollution to occupational health and safety, percentage of carbon emission and solid waste disposal, usage of electricity and water, efficient use of land and so on.

Commenting on this award, Mr. Dilip Oommen, CEO & MD, Essar Steel India said: “We are very happy that our environmental performance is being recognized and rated by the prestigious CSE, a leading NGO of India. Essar Steel remains committed to the cause of environment. This is a journey that we would like to continue till we become at par with the global best. We have already identified the areas for improvement and we are working towards achieving it."

The results of the study were released by Mr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan, in New Delhi on the eve of World Environment Day. The rating assessment is based on the two-year research conducted by CSE’s Green Rating Project, based on which Essar Steel, Hazira including its Vizag and Kirandul facilities stood at No 2 among 21 top steelmakers. During the research, Hazira plant has been found to be low on specific energy and water consumption, the lowest GHG emitter and reusing steel melting slag. Ms. Sunita Narain, Director General of CSE, complemented the company's work against the economic odds, despite of challenges like not having captive mines, allocation of gas, good quality raw material etc. She also praised the fact that the companies despite all odds came forward for such kind of public disclosure on their own.

The CSE’s Green Rating Project analyzed all the top steelmaking plants in the country to find out how ‘green and clean’ the sector is – how much resources it uses, how much it emits, how it disposes its wastes, and how it deals with issues of local communities. On the basis of its findings, the Project also confers the Five Leaves Awards on the plants that are rated the most environmentally friendly. In the case of the iron and steel sector, 21 companies, with over 0.5 million tonnes of annual capacity, were rated in this program.