Green award for Star Paper

Star Paper Mills Limited, a manufacturer of paper, has received the Gold Award for environmental excellence from the Greentech Foundation, an NGO established to promote knowledge on industrial safety.

The award recognises the environmental protection efforts of the company.

Star received the award at the international conference and exhibition on environment management programme organised by Greentech at Hyderabad.

Madhukar Mishra, managing director of Star, said, "The company has always been proactive in the field of environment conservation. Most of the measures were implemented even before they became mandatory. Increased emphasis on social forestry, energy and water conservation, rain water harvesting, recycling of lime sludge are some of the key initiatives which will help in restoring environmental balance, increase green cover in the vicinity, generate rural employment, increase productivity of land, raise water table and save precious natural resources."

Star invested Rs 8 crore in installing a lime liln, which resulted in almost complete recycling of generated lime sludge, thus eliminating solid waste disposal.

To arrest emission of particulate matter which causes air pollution, Star installed electrostatic precipitators on all boilers, DG sets and lime kiln.

Its 3-stage effluent treatment plant based on activated sludge process was one of the most efficient, Star claimed in a press release.

To reduce effluent discharge further, Star was re-circulating back water from all its paper machines and eliminated leakages and spillages.

Star was working with farmers on nurseries, providing them with suitable seeds, insecticides, fungicides and micronutrients free of cost. Star distributed 2.25 crore seedlings in 2003-04 and 8.95 crore seedlings to farmers to plant over 6000 hectares. Star held 'kisan sammelan' seminars in association with government officials and farmers.