SHILLONG, July 8: Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy has conferred the prestigious 5-Star Mining Award on Lafarge Umiam Mining Pvt Ltd in recognition of its sustained excellence in sustainable mining practices.
According to a statement here, this marks the seventh consecutive year that Lafarge Umiam has received this award, having been the only organisation in the Northeast to achieve this distinction during the earlier six terms.
The union minister conferred the award during a function held on Monday in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
It is pertinent to note that for the year 2023-24, a total of 1,250 mines across India participated in the 5-Star Award programme, but only 95 mines, including Lafarge Umiam, received the award, with both Northeast awardees located in Meghalaya.
The 5 Star Rating system evaluates mines on a range of sustainability parameters, including scientific and systematic mining, effective mine closure plans, community engagement, adoption of green energy and digital mining tools and transparent reporting aligned with global best practices. “By honoring these outstanding mines, the Ministry aims to encourage the adoption of best practices in the Industry, ensuring that mining activities are conducted responsibly and with minimal environment impact,” the statement said.
It may be mentioned that the Lafarge Umiam Mining Pvt Ltd was also recognised as the best mine in terms of safety in the Northeast region on June 29 at a function held in Shillong.
