CMA

67 • Biodiversity management can spur conservation of natural instinct, inspiring new products and services which are eco friendly or which enable carbon sequestration by others. • Companies can enhance the resilience of their supply chains, for example by reducing reliance on price volatile fossil fuels by shifting towards renewable energy. Cement industries should constantly strive to be ecologically positive with an aim to meet the needs of present without compromising the needs of future and ensure the world is a better place as a result of our role in it. Future of our business and associated communities is linked to survival of land ecosystems. Industry should recognize the need to protect and maintain a healthy biodiversity for long- term sustainability. Following are the suggestions for improvement of biodiversity • Promotion of multi culture plantation for development of plantation site into forest area and to maintain the quality of soil. Introduction of leguminous plant species as per the existing site location conditions local environment conditions. • Selection of species should be as per the site conditions and preference should be given to plantation of native species. Ex. Draught resistant species such as Ailanthus excelsa, Acancia catechu, Butea monosperma, Holoptelea integrifolia, Dalbergia sissoo, Acacia nilotica, Acacia senegal, Azadiricta indica, Moringa oleifera, Bombax ceiba etc. • Pruning of plantation is to be made after three year of planting the plant. • For the conversion of plantation into forest, it should be done in three- tier. • To consider planting of tree species which have high Air Pollution Tolerance Index. Way Forward With extensive mining & quarrying activities, we endeavor to balance our impact with biodiversity management efforts. Biodiversity risk from our operations should be minimal and continual efforts should be made to develop natural instinct in our surrounding areas of our operations. Our efforts should be such that the processes do not have direct or indirect impacts on biodiversity. • Urgent need is to develop and disseminate the innovative technologies and methodologies for implementation biodiversity conservation measures. • Ensure rehabilitation of our decommissioned mining sites by facilitating forest cover • To identify and collect good practices, challenges, experiences and lessons learned. • To identify the opportunities and to strengthen the capacities. • More detailed and transparent disclosures with completeness, consistencies and comparability. • Practice recharging groundwater though rainwater harvesting wherever practical & possible. All these initiatives help in maintaining micro climate condition and reduce dust pollution around affected areas. • The increased survival rate of saplings can be attained through robust monitoring systems and our passion for a balanced & healthy ecology. Following measures can also be adopted for water conservation initiatives in horticulture such as: 1. Adoption of latest drip irrigation system in place of conventional flushing system 2. Replace existing pipe system with pop-up sprinkler systems. 3. Installation of rain-gun sprinklers system for watering the plant species. 4. Installation of nozzle garden showers in place of hosepipe watering system. 5. Diesel mounted engine for water spray in place water flushing through water tankers. References • Encyclopedia of Biodiversity • The Science of Climate Change – Contribution of Working Group I to the Second Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. • Management and Wildlife: A Review of Research on the Effects of Hedgerow Management and Adjacent Land on Biodiversity. May 1995 • Handbook of Biodiversity Methods survey evaluation & monitoring • External studies carried out through experts at Birla Corporation Ltd.