India's leading engineering services company Voltas Ltd has charted plans to expand operations in the global water treatment business. The company is also scouting for companies for acquisition overseas as well as in India.
The company, belonging to India's second largest business group, Tatas, is eyeing small-sized companies that will allow it to get entrenched in the local industry without having to set up fresh capacities and operations. The aquired companies are expected to provide Voltas pre-qualification in the water segment in their countries.
The company is also keen to acquire small companies in the hydro-carbon industry.
Voltas officials said the company was looking to make a few small-scale acquisitions in the range of Rs 100-200 crore in the water and hydrocarbon segment.
The company has been making efforts to expand its presence in the water industry, particularly in the water treatment segment, ever since it had undertaken a Rs 300 crore sewage treatment project in Singapore in 2007. It was keen to acquire companies in Singapore and Europe but had not been able to make any progress so far.
Voltas is eyeing overseas acquisitions in the water treatment segment whereas it prefers domestic acquisitions in the hydrocarbon space.
The company offers engineering solutions and undertakes electro-mechanical projects, which also include water management and treatment. Also, with water shortages becoming a big problem in several countries including India, China and the Middle East, the company has decided to step up its focus on the water treatment industry.
Over the years, Voltas has broaden its capabilities in the entire spectrum of water and wastewater management, including treatment of water for potability as well as industrial usage. The company also makes water, wastewater and sewage treatment equipment.
The company is also expecting a slew of new orders in the coming months from West Asia, Singapore and Hong Kong, among other countries.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Amnesty International accuses India’s Vedanta of water pollution
Global human rights group Amnesty International has accused London-based metals and mining group Vedanta for alleged poor waste management practices at its aluminium refinery in India's eastern state of Orissa, which has hit the supply of water locally.
Amnesty has said the refinery is causing water and air pollution that is threatening health of thousands of locals in the state. However, Vedanta has refuted the claim and said they were based on an "outdated document".
The international rights group on February 10 released a report, alleging that the 8,000 strong tribal community near the refinery suffered violations of human rights to water and health. The report, which quoted documents from Orissa State Pollution Control Board gave instances where vedanta failed to put in place adequate pollution controls.
This resulted in leakages of alkaline wastewater into the river, the main source of water in the area. People in Niyamgiri Hills, where the company mines alumina, had complained of serious skin ailments, hazards that were not witnessed before the mining began, said Amnesty.
According to Amnesty, these complaints are likely rooted in the periodic contamination of Vansadhara river, the main water source for the people and possible seapage of toxic elements into ground water from a highly alkaline waste known as red mud pond.
The Amnesty-Vadanta stand-off comes soon after an Indian Government report has called for an urgent upgrade of the country's wastewater treatment facilities, stating that most of the Indian cities have been managing to treat their wastewater only partially and the untreated waste is flowing back into rivers that form major sources of drinking water.
The discharge of untreated sewage into water courses is the biggest source of water pollution in India, the report released last month by state-run Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had said.
Vedanta has charted plans to pour more investment in the refinery and expand its capacity six-fold. The expansion is expected to deliver significant economic stimulus to the local community, especially historically underdeveloped areas of Orissa, the company said.
Amnesty has reportedly urged the Indian government not to approve the expansion until pollution laws were enforced, the health impact investigated and the waste management process rectified by the refinery.
Vedanta, on the other hand, said the criticism of the project is misplaced and repeated offers made by the company to Amnesty to enter into a dialogue on the report had been rejected.
Amnesty has said the refinery is causing water and air pollution that is threatening health of thousands of locals in the state. However, Vedanta has refuted the claim and said they were based on an "outdated document".
The international rights group on February 10 released a report, alleging that the 8,000 strong tribal community near the refinery suffered violations of human rights to water and health. The report, which quoted documents from Orissa State Pollution Control Board gave instances where vedanta failed to put in place adequate pollution controls.
This resulted in leakages of alkaline wastewater into the river, the main source of water in the area. People in Niyamgiri Hills, where the company mines alumina, had complained of serious skin ailments, hazards that were not witnessed before the mining began, said Amnesty.
According to Amnesty, these complaints are likely rooted in the periodic contamination of Vansadhara river, the main water source for the people and possible seapage of toxic elements into ground water from a highly alkaline waste known as red mud pond.
The Amnesty-Vadanta stand-off comes soon after an Indian Government report has called for an urgent upgrade of the country's wastewater treatment facilities, stating that most of the Indian cities have been managing to treat their wastewater only partially and the untreated waste is flowing back into rivers that form major sources of drinking water.
The discharge of untreated sewage into water courses is the biggest source of water pollution in India, the report released last month by state-run Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had said.
Vedanta has charted plans to pour more investment in the refinery and expand its capacity six-fold. The expansion is expected to deliver significant economic stimulus to the local community, especially historically underdeveloped areas of Orissa, the company said.
Amnesty has reportedly urged the Indian government not to approve the expansion until pollution laws were enforced, the health impact investigated and the waste management process rectified by the refinery.
Vedanta, on the other hand, said the criticism of the project is misplaced and repeated offers made by the company to Amnesty to enter into a dialogue on the report had been rejected.
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