NEW DELHI, India, April 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Axalta (NYSE:
AXTA) has announced a three-year partnership with S M Sehgal
Foundation (Sehgal Foundation), a registered charitable trust in
India, for a proposed soil and
water conservation project in the semi-arid, drought-hit district
of Alwar, Rajasthan. The joint project, which engages the local
community in soil and water conservation awareness, aligns well
with Axalta's sustainability principle which is central to its
business.
Over the next three years, three man-made ponds will be designed
and constructed to encourage environmental stewardship throughout
the area. The first pond will be built with a catchment area over
0.6 sq km in the Bhuriyabas village located in the Thanagazi block
of the Alwar district, which has an average annual rainfall of
620mm - mostly from July to September. One of the remaining ponds
is expected to have a 10,000-kilolitre capacity to collect and
store rainwater to support local farming, animal husbandry, and
eco-services. Over the course of the project, tree planting will
also occur to help prevent soil erosion, provide shade and food to
animals, and revive the area which has a biodiversity of
approximately 12,000 wild species of flora and is home to many
species of wild animals.
"We are proud to partner with Sehgal Foundation in this
worthwhile initiative of water and soil conservation in one of the
most remote and worst environment areas of India," said Charles
Shaver, Chairman and CEO of Axalta. "This project gives
Axalta a valuable opportunity to make a progressive step toward
enabling a better livelihood for the community where we do
business."
Sehgal Foundation is working to empower people across rural
India to lead a more secure,
prosperous, and dignified life. The proposed pond development will
engage the local community on water and soil conservation.
Agriculture and animal husbandry are the main sources of livelihood
for the villagers and rainwater is the key water source. The
project will provide water management training to ensure that the
catchment area can sustain the local community with water available
year-round.
"The project to increase surface water availability in the
region will bring a change for the better to the lives of local
community," said Mr Ajay Pandey,
CEO, Sehgal Foundation. "Now, there
is a possibility to improve their income from animal husbandry with
more water available. In addition, improvement in soil moisture,
green coverage, and fodder availability are all very possible
through the pond development. The local community and the
Foundation are truly appreciative of Axalta's support and
contribution to this joint initiative."
The construction of one pond is expected to take six months,
after which the Sehgal Foundation will monitor and evaluate
progress.
About S M Sehgal Foundation
S M Sehgal Foundation is a public, charitable trust registered
in India in 1999. The Foundation
aims to strengthen community-led development initiatives to achieve
positive social, economic, and environmental change across rural
India. With the objective of
empowering rural India, the
Foundation team has been organising and conducting several programs
in the field of water management, agriculture development, and good
governance across 700 villages in India. The Foundation believes that by
educating citizens about their rights and spreading awareness,
every person across rural India
can be empowered to lead a secure, prosperous and dignified life.
The programs also enable sustainability, achieving an equal balance
between the environment and livelihood. For further details, visit:
www.smsfoundation.org.
About Axalta
Axalta is a leading global company focused solely on coatings
and providing customers with innovative, colourful, beautiful and
sustainable solutions. From light OEM vehicles, commercial vehicles
and refinish applications to electric motors, buildings and
pipelines, the coatings are designed to prevent corrosion, increase
productivity and enable the materials to last longer. With more
than 150 years of experience in the coatings industry, the
approximately 13,300 people of Axalta continue to find ways to
serve its more than 100,000 customers in 130 countries every day
with the finest coatings, application systems and technology. For
more information visit, axalta.com and follow us @Axalta
on Twitter and on LinkedIn.
Contact
Ashutosh Kushwaha
T: +91 7032702204
ashutosh.kushwaha@axaltacs.com www.axaltacs.com/in
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SOURCE Axalta