BALCO Marks World Water Day with Community Pond Restoration Drive
23rd March 2026
Balconagar, 23rd March 2026: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), India’s iconic aluminium producer and a unit of Vedanta Aluminium, organised a pond restoration drive on World Water Day under Project Mor Jal Mor Maati, BALCO’s flagship sustainable livelihood programme. The initiative brought together over employees and members of local communities to rejuvenate traditional water bodies and promote awareness around sustainable water use and conservation. The efforts reaffirm BALCO’s commitment to sustainable water management and community-led environmental stewardship.
Such restoration efforts have restored and created water conservation structures in over 40 villages, strengthening water availability for rural communities and enhancing agricultural livelihoods by improving water accessibility for farming and allied activities.
Under the programme, 158 water conservation structures have been developed, including around 129 farm ponds, 15 community ponds, 12 check dams, and 2 lining ponds, creating a cumulative water holding capacity of over 230,000 cubic metres. In FY ’26 alone, 22 additional water structures, comprising 21 farm ponds and 1 community pond, have been created with a combined water holding capacity of around 22,000 cubic metres.
Sharing his thoughts on the World Water Day, Rajesh Kumar, CEO & Director, BALCO said, “Water stewardship is integral to sustainable development and resilient communities. Through Project Mor Jal Mor Maati, we are working closely with local communities to restore water resources that support agriculture, livelihoods and ecological balance. Our efforts aim to strengthen long-term water security while contributing to sustainable rural development. On World Water Day, we reaffirm our commitment to responsible water management and environmental stewardship for present and future generations.”
These water structures have significantly enhanced irrigation availability for farmers, reducing dependency on rainfall for agriculture. With improved access to water, farmers in the region are now able to cultivate multiple crops during the year and diversify beyond traditional rain-fed farming practices. This has also led to increased cropping intensity, improved agricultural productivity, and enhanced household incomes, while also supporting water availability for livestock.
Highlighting the impact of the initiative, Sandhya Bai, a farmer from Bhatgaon village near Korba, said, “I always aspired to strengthen my livelihood through fish farming and vegetable cultivation. With the development of a farm pond under the Mor Jal Mor Maati initiative, I am now able to grow vegetables and have also started fish farming as an additional livelihood activity, bringing greater stability to my household.”
The initiative has also enabled alternative livelihood opportunities within the community. As part of the programme, 80 farmers have adopted fisheries as an additional income-generating activity, earning an average of ₹20,000 per cycle. This integration has enhanced economic resilience while optimising local water resources.
Beyond livelihoods, the initiative contributes to groundwater recharge and long-term water security in the region. The restoration of ponds and water structures helps capture rainwater, reduce surface runoff, and support ecological balance in surrounding landscapes, reinforcing BALCO’s commitment to responsible environmental stewardship.
About BALCO:
Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO) is a subsidiary of Vedanta Limited, operating a 0.57 million tonne per annum aluminium smelter in Korba, Chhattisgarh. It is part of Vedanta’s Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, which is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium, i.e., 2.42 million tonnes in FY25. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 2nd in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2024 world rankings for the aluminium industry, a reflection of its leading sustainable development practices. With its world-class aluminium smelters, alumina refinery and power plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow. For more information, please log on to
www.balcoindia.com
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Disclaimer:
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” – that is, statements related to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “should” or “will.” Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets including the London Metal Exchange, fluctuations in interest and or exchange rates and metal prices; from future integration of acquired businesses; and from numerous other matters of national, regional, and global scale, including those of a political, economic, business, competitive or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements.
About Vedanta Limited:
Vedanta Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, is one of the world’s leading Oil
& Gas and Metals company with significant operations in Oil & Gas, Zinc, Lead, Silver,
Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, and Aluminium & Power across India, South Africa, Namibia, and
Australia. For two decades, Vedanta has been contributing significantly to nation building.
Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta's strategy, with a strong
focus on health, safety, and environment. Giving back is in the DNA of Vedanta, which is
focused on enhancing the lives of local communities. Under the aegis of Vedanta Cares, the
flagship social impact program, Nand Ghars have been set up as model anganwadis focused on
eradicating child malnutrition, providing education, healthcare, and empowering women with
skill development. Vedanta and its group companies have been featured in Dow Jones
Sustainability Index 2020, and were conferred Frost & Sullivan Sustainability Awards 2020,
CII Environmental Best Practices Award 2020, CSR Health Impact Award 2020, CII National
Award 2020 for Excellence in Water Management, CII Digital Transformation Award 2020, ICSI
National Award 2020 for excellence in Corporate Governance, People First HR Excellence Award
2020, ‘Company with Great Managers 2020’ by People Business and certified as a Great Place
to Work 2021. Vedanta’s flagship Nand Ghar Project was identified as best CSR project by the
Government of Rajasthan. Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the
National Stock Exchange in India and has ADRs listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
For more information, please visit
www.vedantalimited.com
