Vedanta Aluminium deepens water and irrigation impact across Kalahandi and Rayagada

Bhubaneswar, June 3, 2026: Ahead of World Environment Day, Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, highlighted its expanding water stewardship and watershed development efforts in Odisha’s Kalahandi and Rayagada districts around its Lanjigarh refinery. The company has created over 18 lakh cubic metres of water storage and groundwater recharge capacity, strengthening irrigation access and improving water security for rural households.

Through its integrated watershed and community water management initiatives, the company has revitalised over 73 water bodies across 26villages, while enabling irrigation across more than 1600 acres of farmland, benefiting over 4,000 people. These efforts are helping address long-standing water scarcity challenges in one of Odisha’s most climate-vulnerable regions.

Karbi Majhi, a community member from Banigaonvillage, said, “Water used to be a daily struggle, especially during the dry months when sources would run low. Now, with the restoration of water bodies in our village, water is available closer to home and throughout the year. It has reduced our hardship and improved our quality of life.”

In largely agrarian Kalahandi, now among Odisha’s leading paddy-producing districts, supported by irrigation expansion, improved water availability is directly supporting farm productivity, crop diversification, and farmer incomes. The region’s heavy dependence on monsoon rainfall and irrigation makes such interventions critical to sustaining agricultural growth and livelihoods.

Vedanta Aluminium’s watershed initiatives focus on scientific rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, and revival of traditional water systems, enabling year-round water availability for both irrigation and household needs. The interventions include development of water harvesting structures, farm ponds, check dams, and community-led water management systems that improve soil moisture and reduce runoff losses.

Dhananjaya Patra, a farmer from Batelima village, said,“Earlier, farming here depended entirely on rainfall. With the water bodies restored and irrigation now available, we are able to cultivate more confidently and even grow an additional crop. It has brought stability to our income and hope for our families.”

Building on these on-ground interventions, Vedanta Aluminium has now developed a hydrogeological blueprint for the Sijimali region, aimed at further strengthening water security. Scientific studies indicate the potential to increase local water availability by up to 200%, by improving runoff capture and groundwater recharge through a network of soil and water conservation measures.

The plan includes interventions such as contour bunding, check dams, settling ponds, slope stabilisation structures, and a7,500-metre drainage network, designed to channel rainwater more effectively into local catchments and water bodies.

Importantly, the project has been designed with safeguards to protect groundwater resources. Studies indicate that groundwater occurs at depths of approximately350m-550m below ground-level, while proposed activities are planned at significantly shallower levels, ensuring no direct interaction with aquifers.

Complementing these efforts is a large-scale ecological restoration programme, including the plantation of over 2.2 million trees across Kalahandi and Rayagada districts.This afforestation effort is expected to further improve soil stability, enhance moisture retention, and strengthen biodiversity and ecological resilience.

Vedanta Aluminium has consistently prioritised water stewardship across its operations and has implemented several initiatives focused on water conservation, recycling, groundwater recharge and ecosystem restoration. Through the Sijimali hydrogeological plan, the company aims to demonstrate how scientific planning and responsible resource management can contribute to sustainable development and improved environmental outcomes.