Vedanta Sesa Goa commemorated World Environment Day 2025 by bringing together community members & felicitating ‘Green Champions’. The event was organised at the Sesa Technical School with Mr Pradip Sarmokadam, Member Secretary Goa State Biodiversity Board being the Chief Guest. The attendees were given a tour of the STS and familiarised with the project details of the internationally acclaimed mine reclamation initiative followed by the felicitation of individuals and entities having worked to further environmental sustainability. The venue of the event holds importance, as it forms part of the renowned Sanquelim Reclaimed Mines & spotlights Sesa Goa’s environmental conservation efforts.
The event was also attended by Mr Vijay Natekar, Chairman Bicholim Municipal Council, Mr Sagar Fadte Sarpanch VP Amona, Mr Rohidas Kansekar, Sarpanch VP Navelim, Mr Sunil Vaigenkar, Dy Sarpanch VP Piligao, along with council members of the BMC and Mr Saptesh Sardesai, CEO, Vedanta Sesa Goa – Value Added Business (VAB), Ms Leena Verenkar, Head CSR, Vedanta Sesa Goa, Mr Jagdish Desai, Head Environment , Vedanta Sesa Goa, and Mr Gajendra Alarnicar , Pricipal , STS and faculty & students of the Institute. Ex alumni of SFA & STS also attended the event shared their experiences of the role played by the institutes in shaping their futures.
The event also included documentaries on the stages of reclamation at Sanquelim , on the successful career trajectories of the alumni of the STS & the Sesa Football Academy. During the felicitation ceremony, prominent contributors to environmental sustainability were felicitated including Mr Vishwambar Gawas, Navelim, Mr Asheesh Sabharwal, Founder Vriksh Foundation, Mr Rohan Ghadi, Swayampurna Mitra Amona, Ms Babita Malik & Ms Vishakh Gawas of the Sampoorna Earth NGO, members of the Shetkari Sangh —–, along with NSS students of Government College for Arts Science & Commerce, Khandola
Sharing his thoughts on the occasion, Mr Navin Jaju, CEO , Vedanta Sesa Goa, said, “At Vedanta Sesa Goa, we believe in responsible resource utilization, and in ensuring a positive environmental and social impact. Our philosophy of ‘giving back’ meaningfully is exemplified by the model mine reclamation at the Sanquelim Reclaimed Mines. The successful reclamation project stands as a testament to the power of collaborative multi-agency effort & showcases the fact development & environmental sustainability can be balanced through innovative thought. The fact that the reclamation also led to the creation of the enduring legacy of the Sesa Technical School & Sesa Football Academy, further underscores Sesa Goa’s commitment towards the holistic development & progress of the people of Goa.”
Mr Pradip Sarmokadam , Member Secretary Goa State Biodiversity Board & Chief Guest on the occasion, said “I compliment Vedanta Sesa Goa for their efforts towards environmental sustainability, as it is an ongoing process a lot of effort will be required and the Company is on the right path to achieve desired sustainability goals. I also commend the Company for their decarbonisation efforts. I would like to extend heartiest congratulations to STS & SFA for their contribution in shaping the futures of the youth from the villages & mining belt. I also compliment them for their efforts towards skilling the youth as upskilling is extremely important for building self confidence, which was evident from the experiences shared by the alumnus of the institutes.”
Mr Vijay Natekar, Chairperson BMC, commended Vedanta Sesa Goa’s efforts towards sustainability & youth empowerment “ World Environment Day is an important occasion, and I am thankful to Vedanta Sesa Goa for providing a platform for environmental enthusiasts to come together together. I also got the opportunity to witness the impact of the STS and I can see that the skilling institute has helped shape the futures of many Goan youth, who are fortunate to be backed by a large company such as Vedanta Sesa Goa. I commend the company for helping so many youth gain employment and also created environment ‘champions’. congratulate the Company for their efforts and request them to continue to further their social interventions.”
“We are extremely happy to be felicitating the ‘Green Champions’ today. Vedanta Sesa Goa through the Sanquelim Reclaimed Mines, the development of the Miyawaki Forests and green belts, installation of the 100KW rooftop solar power plant, and free EV charging station, is committed to fostering environmental sustainability. We are also increasingly integrating Renewable Energy and EVs in our operations and our focus on sustainability is also exemplified by the 65MW waste heat recovery power plant set up at Amona. “ said Mr Saptesh Sardesai, CEO, Vedanta VAB.
Sesa Goa, guided by its Zero Harm, Zero Waste, Zero Discharge vision and commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 or earlier, leads the way in sustainable practices. An exemplar is Vedanta Sesa Goa’s deployment of EV wheel loaders, set to save 230,000 liters of fuel per year and cut CO2 emissions by ~ 200 tons per loader. Their free community EV charging station has already aided 1500+ commuters in Amona.
Through these diverse and comprehensive initiatives, Sesa Goa actively involves employees, business partners, community members, and school students, continuing to lead by example in promoting sustainability in every aspect and working towards a greener and more resilient future.
