UltraTech Cement wins Water Sustainability Award

UltraTech (Aditya Birla) has been presented the ‘TERI-IWA-UNDP Water Sustainability Award 2022’ by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in association with the International Water Association (IWA) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). 

The award was conferred to UltraTech at the ‘Second Water Sustainability Awards 2022-23’ at New Delhi on the eve of World Water Day 2023. UltraTech was recognised under the ‘Water For All’ category for the watershed project implemented by its integrated cement manufacturing unit Andhra Pradesh Cement Works in two villages located near the unit. 

Seven water harvesting structures were constructed in Ayyavaripalli village of Kolimigundla Mandal and Petnikota village of Tadipatri Mandal to enhance the ground water levels in addition to improving year-long availability of water. The Andhra Pradesh Cement Works project benefitted over 2000 people. The rainwater harvesting structures in Patnikota and Ayyavaripalli have created a water storage capacity of around 35,000Mm³. Ground water levels in the watershed areas have risen by 2-4m and 400 acres of barren land was brought into cultivation due to watershed interventions in both the villages.

Meanwhile, harvest from high-yield variety seeds resulted in a 30-40 per cent increase in the yield and the recharged rainwater provides irrigation to nearly 346ha of cultivable area in the two villages.