Sustainable Development Initiatives atSRF Chemicals Business
An example of Corporate NGO Partnership18th Feb 2010
SRF-CB - an overview
• Established: 1989 in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan
• Turnover in 2008-09: Rs. 595 Crores
• One of the largest players in Refrigerant Gas Business: ~39% domestic
market share
Refrigerant Gases• Floron 22 (HCFC)• Floron 134a (HFC 134a)
ApplicationsRefrigerants. Air Conditioning, Blowing Agent, Aerosol
Chloromethanes • Methylene Dichloride • Chloroform• Carbon Tetrachloride
Applications Raw Material for Refrigerants & Insecticides, Solvent in Drugs
Fluorospecialities• Trifluoroacetic Acid (TFA)• Penta Fluoro Benzoic Acid• Para Bromo Fluoro Benzene• Tetrafluorobenzyl Alcohol
Applications Pharma & Agro Intermediates
Earthen Check Dams Stone Dams
Adopt Government Schools
SRF Chemicals Business is engaged in addressing some of the most pressing problems faced by the community where it operates.
The focus is on Natural Resource Management, Primary Education and HIV AIDS.
Marking World AIDS Day
Water ManagementPlantations
Sustainable Development Initiatives
HIV AIDS Awareness
Project Guide: PRADANImplementation: Sir Syed Trust (SST)Impact Assessment: SPACE
Integrated NRM Project of SRF
NGO Partners SPACE
One of the first industries in India to invest in CDM to reduce carbon emissions
First company globally to be issued Carbon Credits ( CERs)
• One part of the project being to assist local community with Sustainable Development
Water
LivelihoodEmpowermentEducation,
Health
Inspiration
Context
SRF plant is located in Tijara of Alwar; part of Aravali hills
Aravali hills spread over 500 kms across N-E to S-W of Rajasthan
Once upon a time, covered with dense forest - providing firewood, fodder to local communities; maintaining delicate ecological balance of the Aravali ecosystem.
SRF
SRF Chemicals Business
Landscape
Over the years, severe land degradation has occurred due to:
Increasing pressure of human and livestock population
Breakup of Community system leading to non ownership and maintenance of water structures.
Large scale mining- legal and illegal
Alwar Tijara
Literacy 49.7% 45.3%
Female Literacy 34.9% 29.4%
Sex Ratio 886 829
The Community: Meo-Muslims & SCs
Project Design
How did we go about our NRM project!1. Prepared the Project Charter
2. Identification of NGO Partners3. Implementation Plan
• Established the Deliverables• Budget (in line with the Activities)• Details of working relationships• MOUs with Partners• Monitoring & Review mechanism
4. Documentation
5. Impact AssessmentSPACE
Interventions
Mapping of the target area with involvement of local community
Old water structures were identified Phased plan made for implementation Selling community the concept to local community and
encourage them to contribute 20-30 % for their buy-in Involved CGWB Jaipur for technical inputs Carried out contour surveys and hydrological studies to
establish right locations for Paals etc.
• Self Help Groups & User Groups Self Help Groups & User Groups are formed which carry out are formed which carry out interventionsinterventions• Funds are channelized through Funds are channelized through these groups, ensuring transparencythese groups, ensuring transparency
Community Mobilization
BarrierBarrier walls commonly called Paals were walls commonly called Paals were constructed to harvest surplus rain water and constructed to harvest surplus rain water and recharge the soil profilerecharge the soil profile
Loose Stone Check Dams
To check the velocity of rain water gushing down from the hills
To lessen the speed of water gushing down from Hills
Installed Injection wells & Piezometers for improved efficacy for Ground Water Recharge in consultation with CGWB, Jaipur
Leveling & Terracing of undulated lands Leveling & Terracing of undulated lands near catchmentnear catchment
Where lands are highly undulating and lying fallow
Plantations on leveled landsPlantations on leveled lands
Focus on Fruit, Fodder, Wood treesFocus on Fruit, Fodder, Wood trees
Since 2006-07, we have been able to:
Create 119 Check Dams (Paals) …551 Loose Stone Check Dams Level 477 hectares of undulated Waste Land Plant 120,000 fruits, fodder and timber trees in the leveled
lands Form 66 Community Self Help Groups Introduce improved variety of mustard (T-59) with an yield
of 32 Qt/ Ha against the local breed (yield 19 Qt/Ha) Introduce improved Agriculture practices in more than 350
acres in impacting 501 families
Results
Water harvesting: Harvested 254 Ha-mtr of rainwater (cumulative 3 yrs) Created over 350 Ha-meter of water holding capacity in
the 119 Paals
In-situ soil moisture conservation: On an average 3 cm water was conserved per hectare of
land Increased soil moisture brings improvement in soil/crop
productivity
Families impacted 3780 families in 33 villages
Impact so far…
• To acknowledge community for their work in paals construction, land leveling, plantation etc
• Hand over the paals to the community so that they take ownership of maintaining them as their own assets.
Kissan Sammelan – Feb 2009
Nawab Durru Mian Karan Singh Roop Salotra Nassir Khan Ratan Singh
Participation of more than 1000 people, largely women
Our Vision for NRM Based Livelihood ProjectOur Vision for NRM Based Livelihood Project
Management of Land, Water – Paals, Field Bunds, Plantations etcManagement of Land, Water – Paals, Field Bunds, Plantations etc
Transforming farms– Enhanced ProductivityTransforming farms– Enhanced ProductivitySocial TransformationSocial Transformation
60 SHG&
Federation
60 SHG&
Federation
Producer Companies
Milk Producers
Producer Companies
Milk Producers
BankBank MarketMarket
Producer Companies
Vegetable/Fruits producers
Producer Companies
Vegetable/Fruits producers
Mother DairyMother Dairy
Empowered women, families
(Socially + Economically)
Empowered women, families
(Socially + Economically)
Mobilizing Women
Mobilizing Women
22 Villages
Physical WorkPhysical Work
Linkages established
Linkages established
Linkages established
Completion
Expand our reach in the NRM Project Go further downstream in the areas of education, skills
improvement; look at health and sanitation interventions
Way Forward
• PRADAN helped us in conceptualizing and initiating this Project
• SST with its experience of working with local community were the best choice for being the implementation partners
• SPACE brought in the expertise in agriculture and impact assessment to ensure the benefits reach the community
• SARD is engaged with us in Education and Health related initiatives
• IDEA (CGWB), for their technical expertise in groundwaterInterventions
One of the Injection Wells
Acknowledgements
Education: Government School AdoptionPartners: SARD and SRFF
• Bridge Schools: Mainstream Out-of-School Children
– 62 children mainstreamed in 4 years
• Remedial Support Centers: Reduce drop out rates of school children in Govt. primary schools
– About 17 centers organized in last 4 years and 3 Centres presently running (180 students)
•Ban-Ban School adoption by SRF:Goals•Raise Minimum Learning Levels•Reduce dropout rate & Improve
attendance•Focus on girl child
Ban Ban Government Primary School
3 Fold Planned Improvements:
1. Infrastructure2. Teachers, Curriculum, Pedagogy3. Community Involvement
Outputs so far:There has been increase in overall attendance & avg. learning levelPermission obtained for Bridge school for 5th pass out girls
Before After Infrastr. Improvements Community Involvement
HIV AIDS at Work Place: SRF-SARD Model
Master Trainers
Peer Educators
Employees Families Community
(The International Labor Organization)
With the help of SARD, developed a band of Peer Educators and Master Trainers to expand the community outreach program in the neighboring
industries and the local community – more than 4000 people (employees, contract workers, truckers covered )