1.1 SJVNL will:

• Discharge its obligations under the national and State environmental legislations, regulations, guidelines and directives; and operate in an environmentally responsible manner.
   

• Strive to minimize the impact of its operations on the environment by means of a program of continuous improvement.
   

• Identify aspects of activities which have a significant environmental impact as an integral part of its decision-making and its commitment to prevention pollution.
   

• Develop and maintain adaptive environmental management mechanisms for the establishment and maintenance of environmental objectives.
   

• Develop and maintain efficient and two-way communication with the local communities, and partner and assist them in resolving environmental concerns
   

• Respond promptly and effectively to any known significant environmental impacts caused by operations under its control.
   

• Promote the development of efficient and clean operations procedures.
   

• Promote the efficient use of energy, raw materials and other resources within its operations.
   

• Manage land under its care with sensitivity, having due regard for local environmental sensitivities.
   

• When appropriate, maintain close liaison with regulators, authorities and environmental organizations.
   

• Promote environmental awareness among employees, suppliers and contractors
   

• Educate and train employees to conduct their activities in an environmentally responsible manner.
   

• Make this policy known and available to the public

1.2 In support of this policy, SJVNL will review all new projects for compliance and conduct regular reviews of existing projects from legal stipulations angle as well as internal procedures. SJVNL will prepare and maintain procedures to support this policy in the light of changes in knowledge and understanding. However presently procedures enlisted will act as guidelines or directives for implementing the Policy.

2.0 ENVIRONMENT MANAGEMENT IN SJVNL – A PERSPECTIVE

A diverse developing society such as ours provides numerous challenges in the economic, social, political, cultural, and environmental arenas. All of these coalesce in the dominant imperative of alleviation of mass poverty, reckoned in the multiple dimensions of livelihood security, health care, education, empowerment of the disadvantaged, and elimination of gender disparities.

a) The “Environment” comprises all entities, natural or manmade, external to oneself, which provide value, now or perhaps in the future, to humankind. Environmental concerns relate to their degradation through actions of humans.

b) The present day consensus reflects three foundational aspirations. First, that human beings should be able to enjoy a decent quality of life; second, that humanity should become capable of respecting the finiteness of the biosphere; and third, that neither the aspiration for the good life, nor the recognition of biophysical limits should preclude the search for greater justice in the world.

Environment Policy of SJVN is a response to our commitment to a clean environment, mandated in the Constitution in Articles 48 A and 51 A (g), strengthened by judicial interpretation of Article 21. It is recognised that maintaining a healthy environment is not the state’s responsibility alone, but also that of every citizen.

SJVN’s approach and commitment to deal with environmental and social issues, relating to its projects, and lays out management procedures to mitigate the same. This includes framework for identification, assessment, and management of environmental and social concerns at both organizational and project levels.

SJVNL believes that the Environment Policy is a working and live document, which shall be upgraded with the changes in the social and environmental governance in the country and modified in the light of the experiences gained with project implementation of its projects. It is the logical vehicle to give a human face to the corporate functioning and moves away from classical cost-benefit approach to the larger realm of corporate social responsibility, while mainstreaming and up scaling environmental and social concerns. It is dedicated to the firm commitment and concern of the SJVNL for sustainable development .