Environmental Commitment
Our ecosystems depend on our natural resources. They demand a flora
and fauna in the flush of constant growth, waterbodies that are
unpolluted, clean air, and fertile land. At Kitply Industries, we
recognize that immediate action must be taken to restore and maintain
the balance in our ecology. It is our policy to work in harmony
with nature, safeguarding the earth's beauty for the present and
future generations. We are fiercely committed to the preservation
and improvement of the environment, and are always working on new
ways to realize this goal.
As
part of its commitment to a green and vibrant environment, Kitply
Industries has been dedicated to the research and development
of ecological products to contribute to the conservation of the
latter.
Environmental Policy
Through its endeavours to develop more effective ways and methods
to conserve our natural resources, Kitply Industries is determined
to fulfill its responsibility of beautifying and protecting the
natural ambience that surrounds us by enhancing the awareness
of its employees. We conserve energy and resources in all our
activities.
We
promote the development of products and technologies that minimize
environmental impact, while at the same time taking into account
the maintenance of people's safety and health. We strive to safeguard
the safety and health of local citizens, together with those of
our employees.
Policy of Responsible Care Activities We promote responsible care activities to fulfill the following
objectives :
Establishing a responsible care management system that keeps international
regulations and trends in mind.
Reducing
environmental and human risk through the responsible harnessing
of all chemical products.
Assuring
environmental protection and safety for people in all international
activities and transactions involving chemical products.
Assuring
environmental protection and safety for people in all aspects
of our business activities.
Strengthening
public trust in our company.
We comply with every environmental law and regulation to meet
the requirements and clauses to which Kitply Industries has agreed
to. Faithful to the principles of self decision and responsibility,
we continue to improve the total safety management of chemical
substances based on scientific data and methodology, always being
careful to take worldwide standards into consideration.
We
try to instill our core policies and practices in our employees
by documenting them threadbare, and subsequently making them public.
In
the 21st century, human beings have achieved tremendous economic
growth, but at the same time has caused serious environmental
problems such as global warming, acid rain and a severe shortage
of energy. Environmental conservation is therefore one of the
biggest challenges the world faces today. To pass on the beauty
and treasure that is the environment to future generations, it
is essential that we are all fully aware of the impact our business
activities have on the environment, and actively endeavor to control
it.
Kitply
Industries Ltd. has consistently contributed to conserving the
environment by offering to help protect our natural resources
and beautify the landscape around us. Having said that, however,
we have to admit that our business activities have had some impact
on the environment at every stage, including development, design,
production, consumption and discard. Well aware of this fact,
we put first priority on promoting our environmental commitment
along two channels : Increasing the visual appeal of our surroundings
by reducing the environmental impact of our business activities.
With this stance, we are able to both contribute to environmental
conservation and maintain the mutual trust-based relationship
we have developed with our customers over the years.
As
a responsible corporate citizen, Kitply Industries Ltd. will continue
working ever harder to maintain the co-existence of man and nature
and preserve the ecological balance of our planet. This lies at
the core of our perspective.
The
company's success story lies in its plantations in the North Eastern
states where conditions are most favorable for such activities
as ours. We focussed on developing 175 million hectares of land
that, according to the National Commission of Agricultural Survey
(1976) had gone to waste. We went ahead, because we believed in
our convictions.
Today
Kitply is synonymous with the plywood industry; We can be said
to have ushered in our own brand of green revolution of the country.
And why not. This distinction has been earned: By the dint of
sheer hard work and dedication, on the part of every member of
the company whose single goal is to conserve the green of the
land - no matter what the cost. For years man has exploited mother
nature to enrich himself. Kitply humbly endeavours to offer all
within its might to do a little right this time: Indeed we have
created man-made forests to support nature and even out the balance
in the ecology, when others are busy destroying forests. Our Plantations
are an on-going process. For every fallen tree, we plant one,
sometimes more than one, sapling. Till date we have planted more
than 21 lac trees over 9,000 acres of land in the North Eastern
States, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and the barren lands of
Rajasthan.
We have won the prestigious Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra
award, the highest national award. This award is known to recognise
outstanding contributions in the field of afforestation and waste
land development.
Our
mission to grow more trees, our emphasis on environment friendly
projects and our concern for socio-economic development in the
rural sector can be seen to have borne fruit in our plantation
sites at Raipur, M.P; This plantation has generated mass-scale
rural employment - the villagers get free fuel and fodder from
our plantation field. We dispense free medical care by qualified
Doctors and paramedical staff in a hospital we have set up there.
So
when you use Kitply, you really do you bit towards conserving
the environment.
KITPLY,
the name you have always relied on, is really a "FRIEND OF
THE EARTH".
KITPLY AGRO FORESTRY PROJECT Production
of tree crop on degraded wasteland successfully was our main objective
to take up Agro Forestry Project in 1994 (around Raipur of Madhya
Pradesh now known as Chhatisgarh)
The
Agro Forestry Project shall create:-
1. Massive employment opportunities among the rural poor.
2. Reduce pressure on natural forests for fuel, fodder and commercial
timber.
3. Prevent top soil erosion, improve water holding capacity of the
soil and recharge under ground water and provide clean environment.
4. Also, the utilization of hazardous industrial waste such as fly
ash and sewage sludge can be used for development of waste lands.
SELECTION
OF LOCATION AND ITS DEVELOPMENT The
above views in mind , the project was slated to go off the ground
around Raipur in Madhya Pradesh ( now Chhatisgarh ), where vast
tracts of red murrum lateritic soil are available.
This
soil is poor in nutrients and other features which are very essentials
for agricultural development. The area's rainfall varies from 800mm
to 1500mm., and the temperature ranges from 30 degree to 48 degree
Celsius.
The
first phase of plantation on such red murrum soil started in early
1995 near Khushmi village of the Durg district, on 90 acres plot.
In
preparation of the site, special care had been taken for conservation
of the moisture and the abetment of the soil. The barrel field was
first deep ploughed and left out for pulverization. Then flyash
(approx 3 truck loads (30mt) per acre), good soil (5 truck loads
per acre (50mt)) and sewage sludge / FYM (2 truck loads per acre)
were dumped, spread, ploughed back again and finally leveled off.
Pit Digging (2ft x 2` x 2`) and Spacing at 4M x 3M were done. The
soil being poor in nutrients, each pit was filled with a mixture
of good and local soil, organic and inorganic fertilizers, and manures.
Planting was done in pit from nursery stock. All our fields were
comprehensively networked with the essential Drip Irrigation System.
If a plant needs 10 litre of water per day, it will discharge the
same amount of water, no less. .
SPECIES PLANTED Gmelina arbora is the native fast growing species
which is our major planting stock. It is a close relative of the
teak , popularly know as 'white teak' that produces of high quality
timber.
Appropriate
technology, sufficient inputs and effective organization efforts
transformed the barren land of red murrum soil into a dense green
forest. Eight years old Khamar and the species already attained
an average height of 11.5 mtr., with an average GBH of 65 cm.
"Restoration of waste land through waste management"
A
project by ICEF (Indian Canada Environment Facility ) represented
by Western Ontario University, Canada, in collaboration with Kitply
Industries Limited and IIT, Kharagpur. This project started in 1998
in nearly 100 hectares of around Raipur , Chhatisgarh. Industrial
waste such as fly-ash, sewage sludge were extensively used in the
fields and in the pits along with the methods followed by Kitply
for the management of their own plantation sites. The project is
just 5 years old, but the tree establishment and growth are encouraging.
At
present we have 8.5 lac standing trees planted over 1600 acres of
land and providing regular employment to 1200 local people.
We have received the highest national award, the Indira Priyadarshini
Vrikshamitra Puraskar, for afforesting de-graded waste lands.
ADVANTAGES
TO THE LOCAL COMMUNTY 1. Creation of mass employment opportunities
in the rural sector.
2. Local people get free - fuel and fodder from our plantation fields.
3. Improvement and stabilization of ground water regime.
4. Micro-climatic condition of the area has improved - Increase
in humidity observed.
5. To project the plantation for result and method demonstration
to attract people in the area to take up similar programme. The
initial response is encouraging.
6. Socio economic development programmes. Our plantation site houses
a hospital with qualified doctors, and a school is under construction.
COMMENTS FROM SOME OF THE EMINENT FORESTERS
WHO VISITED OUR PROJECT SITES
"Plantation raised by KITPLY over degraded
Laterite Soil is an example of dedication, innovation and social
economic development of the water scarce backward district of M.P.
Kudos for the good work done to bring greenery to barren rocky tract."
Sd.
C.P. Oberoi, present IG Forest & Secy. Govt. of India Ministry
of Forest & Environment dated 17th August, 1997.
" A very courageous and pioneering effort of raising plantations
in a very refractory waste land. A very innovative approach has
been adopted including drip irrigation. It needs some modern inputs
especially in the area of seed and plant selection, procuring, etc.
to get optimum production as well as environmental impact. A lot
of local employment and goodwill has been generated, and it has
inspired local landowners to take to tree planting. I wish all success
to this nodded effort."
Sd.
A. K. Mukherji, Former IG Forest secretary, Govt. of India dated
17th August, 1997. I-1625, C. R. Park, New Delhi- 110 019.
"We
have seen with interest the plantations that have been established
in different site conditions. Investment and good management has
shown impressive results."
Sd.Ian
Hill, head of Indian Forest Mission, World Bank, Washington D. C.
dated 3rd February, 1999.
"I
had a chance to visit all plantation areas of KITPLY. I was very
impressed with the work done in such a small span of time. I wish
Mr.Goenka greater success in the future as I am very sure that he
will continue to plant more areas."
Sd.
C.L. Bhatia, IFS, Former IG Forests & Spl. Secretary, Govt.
of India dated 17th August, 1997.
"I
would never think of a dry dreary land to be transformed to such
a sylvan setting. SPG needs all the credit for this bold step in
creating large scale plantation and encouraging local people and
industries to have more and more plantations."
Sd.
M. F. Ahmed, Former IG Forest & Spl. Secretary, Govt. of India
dated 17th August 1997. N/3-422, Nayapalli, Bhubneshwar, Orissa
- 751 015.
"The
site is an example of the type of waste land we have in India -
extending over 85 million hectares. If even 10 million hectares
can be afforested in the manner attended to by KITPLY, it will go
a long way towards economic improvement, meeting the needs of industry,
production of firewood, improving the hydrology and providing employment.
It is good that one enterprise has come forward to create a model.
My compliments to Shri Goenka, Shri Sinharoy and his team of dedicated
officials."
Sd.
S. Shyam Sunder, IFS (retd.), Chairman Commonwealth Forestry Association,
South Asia dated 25th November, 1997.
"Very good effort in greening the waste land through private
efforts for everybody's benefit. This effort has provided employment
in backward rural areas, besides providing fodder and fuel to local
people. Incidentally, it takes care of industrial raw material,
it also takes care of ecological restoration of conserving soil
and water and has the environmental advantage of acting as a carbon
sink. There is scope of improving the productivity through clonal
propagation. Overall, it is a great effort and my compliments to
all concerned."
Sd.
S. Parameswarappa, Former PCCF, Karnatka dated 25th November, 1997.
189, 12th Cross - 3rd Main, RMV II Stage, Banglore - 560 094.
