The unprecedented COVID-19 crisis has posed some industry and business defying challenges across the world. FY2021 witnessed suspension of business operations due to the lockdown in April 2020. It was followed by exceptional workforce-related restrictions and safety measures that had to be put in place through the rest of the year. It was a year that saw some mine closures globally, coupled with new project delays.
This unparalleled macro environment necessitated unique interventions to manage operations effectively, while complying strictly with COVID-19 safety protocols. It required a new level of efficiencies to be brought in, with strict cost controls to deliver a positive performance amid the new normal. It also needed a strong focus on sustainable community growth, backed by fiscal prudence, to deliver excellence in performance.
Ensuring the health and safety of our people and communities was our top priority in the new environment. We engaged closely with both, to minimize the impact of the pandemic on their lives. At the same time, with our financial strength, operational expertise and agility, we were quick to adapt to the changes in the business environment, bringing business quickly back on track as operations resumed through May-June 2020. We made adequate investments to ensure that our operational assets remained secure and continued to operate reliably, to deliver unprecedented outcomes. The COVID war room that we set up soon after the pandemic broke out proved vital in enabling us to get our operations back to normalcy, seamlessly and expeditiously, once the lockdown restrictions were lifted.
With our communities close to our hearts, we intensified our CSR activities during COVID-19 times to ensure that the lives of people in our command areas were not disrupted. In line with our commitment to their welfare, we quickly aligned our initiatives with their immediate needs. At the same time, we made significant contributions towards PM CARES Fund and Rajasthan State Mitigation Fund as part of our CSR efforts during this period.
We provided dry ration to ~1 lac and ready-to-eat meals to 9 lac daily wage earners and community people. About 3,269 Sakhi members and 400 Samadhan farmers collectively set up a grain bank of over 16,720 kgs. In addition, our community kitchen served cooked food to 7,000 women and migrant workers.
Around 17,000+ Severe Acute Malnourished and Moderate Acute Malnourished children families have been supplied dry ration and Take Home Ration with the help of Anganwadi workers and Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers.
Nearly 1.3 lac masks and body suits were stitched by Sakhi, generating over ₹ 8 lacs in income. More than 1 lac PPEs (masks, safety goggles, disposable thermometer, face shields etc.) and 25,000 liters of Sodium Hypochlorite solution were provided to the Health Administration. Our Khushi team provided around 3,080+ PPEs on need basis to frontline workers (AWWs [Anganwadi Worker] & ASHAs) and 9,490+ masks to needy families. In addition, sodium hypochlorite was sprayed in more than 180 villages.
Awareness camps on precautionary measures against COVID-19 were conducted in nearby villages. Various sections of the community were engaged through these camps and awareness was spread regarding hygiene practices. In addition, sensitization drives were conducted through banners in 138 villages and a signature campaign where people pledged to follow the necessary hygiene practices to combat COVID-19. Mobile Health Vans were also used to communicate the message. These activities were carried out before a complete lockdown was imposed. In all, 540 camps were conducted, covering more than 16,335 beneficiaries.
We reached out to 3,600+ farmers to create awareness through digital and online messages on preventive measures during farm visit/work for harvesting amid COVID-19.
About 62 employees and employee relatives signed up for volunteering for relief activities during the COVID-19 lockdown, including purchase and distribution of dry ration in local communities, feeding stray animals and mask-making. Additionally, 23 employee spouses voluntarily stitched close to 2,000 cloth masks during the lockdown, that were distributed to employees and in local communities.
We engaged extensively with District Officials, Local Community Representatives, SHG Members and Union Members to carry out these substantial response measures. Our senior management is in direct connect with the community at the grassroots level to better understand the concerns of the people and provide immediate solutions.
Hindustan Zinc received CSR Health Impact Award by ‘Integrated Health and Wellbeing Council’, as a token of appreciation for its exceptional response and on-ground work with extensive focus on life, livelihood and helping mitigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.
To keep costs under check was a major challenge during these tough times, but with our judicious approach and prudent initiatives, we were successful in achieving this goal, while continuing to keep our debt cost low.
We are also constantly working towards the resilience of our assets, so as to deliver consistent shareholder value throughout the economic lifecycles. Our strength, in these uncertain times, lies in delivering strong free cash flow from operations, so that we can continue to invest in the growth of our business and consider new projects, while also giving consistent returns to our shareholders.
The outcome we delivered during FY2021 were largely the outcome of our focused initiatives across the fabric of our business, as well as our firm commitment to sustain value delivery to all our stakeholders.
As part of our continued community impact initiatives amid the resurgent second wave of COVID-19, we have initiated various new measures at the start of FY2022 in solidarity with the efforts of the State Government and local governing bodies.
The Dariba Smelter team erected and installed an Oxygen plant with 500 cylinders per day capacity in Rajsamand in a record time of five days, to cater to the Oxygen demand of hospitals not just in Rajsamand and Udaipur but also Jodhpur.
To ensure continuity of supply of Oxygen at various Districts & Block-level COVID care centers, Hindustan Zinc extended 570 Oxygen concentrators to Rajasthan & Uttarakhand State Governments. Further, generators were also provided where there was irregularity in supply of Electricity.
Established a 350-bedded COVID Hospital by transforming DAV school and also built a 100-bed makeshift hospital at Dariba Rajsamand.