29th September 2025
Vedanta Sesa Goa Hosts Tripartite Safety Committee Meeting for Block 1 Bicholim Mineral Block
Goa: Vedanta Sesa Goa – Iron Ore Goa (Vedanta IOG) which currently operates the Block I, Bicholim Mineral Block, under the aegis of the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS), hosted the Tripartite Safety Committee Meeting at Panjim, Goa. The event is a significant forum for coordination for key stakeholders including representatives from the DGMS, Worker Union and the Senior Management & employees of Vedanta Vedanta IOG. The primary objective of the Tripartite Safety Committee Meeting is to deliberate on issues pertaining to further improvement of safety in mines and to propose effective measures, methods, and processes that contribute to a safer working environment in mines across the country.
The event was graced by Shri. Ramawatar Meena, Deputy Director General of Mines Safety, Western Zone, Nagpur, Shri. Aftab Ahmad, Director of Mines Safety, SO, Western Zone, Shri. P.K Jain, Director of Mines Safety (Mech.), Western Zone, Shri. Ramesh Walikar, Director of Mines Safety, Goa Region, Shri. Vineet Chaurasia, Deputy Director of Mines Safety (Elect.), Western Zone, Shri. Deepak Chandramukhi, Deputy Director of Mines Safety, Goa Region along with Shri. Navin Jaju, CEO, Vedanta Sesa Goa, Shri. Vinod Kumar, COO-Mining, Vedanta Sesa Goa, Shri Dhirajkumar Jagdish, Dy. CEO, Vedanta IOG, Shri Siddesh Parab, Bicholim Workers’ Union, and Shri Lakshwadeep Arsekar, Sesa Goa Workers’ Union along with other Company & Union functionaries.
The high level DGMS delegation reviewed various aspects of the mine operations at Block I, Bicholim Mineral Block, and expressed satisfaction at the measures instituted by Vedanta Sesa Goa towards ensuring safe, responsible & sustainable production. This is the first Tripartite Safety Committee Meeting organised since the commencement of operations by Vedanta Sesa Goa in Apr 2024 at Block 1, Bicholim Mining Block, the first ever auctioned mine to become operational under the auction regime.
Addressing the gathering as part of the Welcome Address, Shri Navin Jaju, CEO- Vedanta Sesa Goa said, “At Vedanta Sesa Goa, safe & responsible production is at the core of operational philosophy. We prioritise Occupational Safety & Health as a collective responsibility – ‘Safety is Us. The Tripartite Safety Committee Meeting has served as a constructive forum to deliberate on safety practices and to reaffirm our collective responsibility towards building a safer and more sustainable mining ecosystem. I extend my sincere gratitude to the Directorate General of Mines Safety, the Workers’ Union, and our employees for their valuable participation and continued support.”
Shri. Ramawatar Meena, Deputy Director General of Mines Safety, Western Zone, Nagpur said, “The Tripartite Safety Committee Meeting plays an important role in strengthening the dialogue between regulators, industry, and workforce on critical aspects of mine safety. At DGMS, our foremost priority is to ensure strict compliance with safety standards and to foster a culture where the well-being of every individual is non-negotiable. It is encouraging to see industry players like Vedanta Sesa Goa actively embracing responsible practices and innovation, which are essential for building a safe, sustainable, and future-ready mining sector. The adoption of sustainable tech such as EV & RE is extremely heartening & I compliment Vedanta Sesa Goa for responsibly & efficiently conducting mining operations.”
During the meeting, participants engaged in constructive discussions, sharing insights, experiences, and best practices to identify potential risks and challenges in the mining industry. The focus was on fostering collaboration and devising innovative solutions to mitigate safety hazards and ensure the well-being of the workforce.
The Directorate General of Mines Safety affirmed its dedication to working closely with all stakeholders to develop and implement policies that prioritize the safety and well-being of miners across the nation.
About Vedanta Limited
Vedanta Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, is one of the world’s leading Oil & Gas and Metals company with significant operations in Oil & Gas, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, and Aluminium & Power across India, South Africa and Namibia. For two decades, Vedanta has been contributing significantly to nation-building. Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta’s strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety, and the environment. Vedanta has put in place a comprehensive framework to be the ESG leader in the natural resources sector. Vedanta is committed to reducing carbon emissions to zero by 2050 or sooner and has pledged $5 billion over the next 10 years to accelerate the transition to net zero operations. Giving back is in the DNA of Vedanta, which is focused on enhancing the lives of local communities. The company’s flagship social impact program, Nand Ghars, have been set up as model Anganwadi’s focused on eradicating child malnutrition, providing education, and healthcare, and empowering women with skill development. Under the aegis of the Anil Agarwal Foundation, the umbrella entity for Vedanta’s social initiatives, the Vedanta group has pledged Rs 5000 crore over the next five years on social impact programmes with a thrust on nutrition, women & child development, healthcare, animal welfare, and grass-root level sports. Vedanta and the group companies company have been featured in Dow Jones Sustainability Index 2020, and was conferred Frost & Sullivan Sustainability Awards 2020, CII Environmental Best Practices Award 2020, CSR Health Impact Award 2020, CII National Award 2020 for Excellence in Water Management, CII Digital Transformation Award 2020, ICSI National Award 2020 for excellence in Corporate Governance, People First HR Excellence Award 2020, ‘Company with Great Managers 2020’ by People Business and certified as a Great Place to Work 2021. Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit www.vedantalimited.com
About Sesa Goa Iron Ore Business
Sesa Goa Iron Ore Business of Vedanta Limited is engaged in exploration, mining, and processing of iron ore. The company was founded in 1954 as Scambi Economici SA Goa. Since then, it has grown to be one among the top low-cost producers of iron ore in the country. During 1991-1995, it diversified into the manufacture of pig iron and metallurgical coke. It has also developed indigenous and environment-friendly technology for producing high quality metallurgical coke. Sesa Goa Iron Ore also has two waste heat recovery power plants of total capacity 60 MW that produces clean power by using the waste heat recovery from its coke ovens and blast furnace gas. Sesa Goa Iron Ore operations in India are in Goa, Karnataka and Odisha.