NEW DELHI: In a significant move aimed at social distancing and protecting the workforce from global pandemic of COVID 19, India’s leading cement manufacturer Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd has suspended cement production across all its plant locations in the country.
Dalmia Bharat operates across nine states and 12 manufacturing units with a combined annual capacity of 26.5 million tonnes.
Commenting on the decision, Mahendra Singhi, MD & CEO, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) said, “As a responsible corporate citizen, with its People First motto, Dalmia Cement is acutely aware of the current grave situation due to breakout of COVID-19. In line with the continuous appeal for social distancing by Hon’ble Prime Minister and Hon’ble Chief Ministers of states where we have our operations, we decided to suspend production across all our plants. The plants will remain closed till further notice. During this hour of crisis, all employees and communities living around our plant locations will be provided with any support that they may need to handle the situation caused by Corona virus.”
“We are continuously monitoring the situation and the immediate task is to ensure that the chain of transmission of COVID 19 breaks. We will decide to restart production once the lockdown is over, basis the directions of the state and central governments.” he added.
While cement production is continuous in nature and the plants have requisite permission from both the state and the central governments to operate with minimum employees during the lockdown, Dalmia Cement will only carry out mandatory activities required for safety and security of the plants in the larger interest of employees, workers, their families, local community and above all the nation.
Besides the crucial decision to suspend cement production, Dalmia Cement (Bharat) has taken a series of employee friendly measures for their physical and mental wellbeing.