Dr. A.V Singh

Dr. A.V Singh

Designation : Chief Sustainability Officer
Industry : Energy Group

 

Question 1: We would like to know from you about your Journey as EHS auditor? Answer: I had served mostly large Chemical Industry, Pharmaceutical, Sugar, Distillery and Power Sectors, where water consumption in process is quite intense and significant. I am a hard core EHS professional and accountable for judicious use of natural resources to avoid any adverse impact on environment and in process our endeavours to optimise the usage and reduce, reuse and recycle the effluent in process suitably.

 

I started my career, as a lecturer in Chemistry Department at UP PG College, Varanasi. But after some time, I realized that, education is not right field and moved to industry and joined Indian Drugs Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (IDPL), Muzaffarpur, Bihar, which is a Public Sector Enterprise. Even I had served in shift duty also for long duration. Being a parent organization in my career, I learned a lot there and did my Ph.D. in Chemistry following the 2 to 10 PM duty everyday as a special case & performing research work in the morning in the University Chemistry Deptt.

I did Post Diploma in Industrial Safety from Regional Labour Institute, Kanpur as sponsored by IDPL. Because of some business concern, industry was not performing well and then I decided to leave and left the organization in the year 1994 and joined M/s Jubilant Organosys Ltd. at Gajroula, UP, a multispeciality Chemical producer having PAN India presence and in leadership position in its domain. After Jubilant I moved to specialty company, Atul Limited till 2006, a great Organisation in all aspect. In 2006, I joined Bajaj Group where I spearheaded EHS activities and release 1st Safety Manuals in Sugar Industry’s history.

 

Question 2:  Who inspired you to become EHS auditor?

 

Answer: As an EHS professional, we need to implement industry specific occupational safety standards to provide workplace free from occupational injuries and illness. After implementation, we conduct auditing of management system assess effectiveness of occupational safety management system. Being core component of my profession, I developed my auditing skills and enhanced it in the entire career to ensure effective auditing of workplace. It is my professional needs which kept me always motivated, keep myself abreast of latest auditing practices and inculcate the same in my routine practice.

 

Question 3: We got to know that you have taken various methods to serve in protecting Environment. We want to know which methods you chose to serve mother earth and who were your associates?

 

Answer: When I came in Power sector, especially our power project at Lalitpur, I came to know that, Bundelkhand is a water scarcity zone. I realize that we need to do more in the field of water management. After consultation with experts of the field, we decided to execute small water conservation practices like check dam, bori bandh, widening the local Nalha, rain water storage in nearby ponds, canal lining towards both side of its bank etc. Apart from such initiatives, we also changed our process for water use optimization. Generally, Power plant operator needs to maintain minimum 5 COC and we are maintaining more than 7 at our plant which significantly reduces water requirements. We are maintaining Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) philosophy at our unit and all our trade and domestic effluents are being reused. Mass awareness training classes on importance of water and future challenges organized for our workforce just to sensitize them about their efficient role in this drive apart from changing the habits of work force to optimise its usage.

At our plant level, we have significantly reduced water consumption by improving process parameters summarized below:

  1.  The current specific water consumption is 2.2 m3/MW against the permissible limit of 3.5 m3/MW. The consumption of water by the plant has been minimized by adopting the following processes.
  2. Increasing the cycle of concentration (COC) in cooling towers from average 5 COC to 7.5 COC.
  3. Water requirement of ash handling system is being fulfilled by Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) treated water & Cooling Towers (CT) blow down. No fresh water is being utilized for this purpose.
  4. Ash Water Recovery System (AWRS) is in place to maximise recycle of ash water. For reduced water consumption, ash is being carried to the dyke through High Concentration Slurry Disposal System (HCSD). Ash dyke- Ash water recovery system is established and 100% water recovery has been done.
  5. Coal pile quenching is also fulfilled from CT blow down and ETP treated outlet, thus saving of raw water.
  6. Water flow meters are available in each water line for close monitoring of water consumption and preventing the wastages.

Most importantly, water being used in operation is basically water saved by providing canal lining in the Lower Rajghat Canal as per Agreement with UP Irrigation by the Lalitpur Power Generation Company Ltd. by its own cost. An underground pipe line is laid to carry water from Dam to the Plant to prevent wastage of water through seepage & evaporation. This is also a way forward to enhance the water conveyance efficiency.

 

Question 4: What are your views on some manmade hazards and viruses which create pandemic situation?

 

Answer: Manmade hazard e.g. potential pandemic pathogens pose danger as they are all extremely deadly, highly contagious in humans. It would be highly disastrous for the world. Smallpox had killed millions of people over centuries while 1918 pandemic flu had killed 50 million peoples worldwide over just two years.

There is a significant concern about handling of potential pandemic pathogens and lab escape due to rising numbers of bio labs across the Globe. It has increased probability of lab escape and causing huge damage to the world. To improve laboratory biosafety, the research community should adopt measures:-

  1. Training of full-time technical staff
  2. Potential pandemic pathogen experiments should be carried out primarily in BSL-4+ labs
  3. Locating such high-security labs in remote locations

 

Question 5: What is your upcoming strategy to continue your progress in serving environment?

 

Answer: For a few decades economic development across the globe had addressed may challenges but in doing so transgressed much of fine balance creating problems of resource depletion, climate change etc. Hence, today the business and all economic activity has to plan to conduct itself with least impact on environment and positive impact on society viz improving diversity, equal opportunity, inclusion health and safety.

 

Question 6: At last, we request you to please give a message to our heroes who want to good to environment?

 

In this Universe, most of the things are free, which is essential for life like Air, Water, Sunlight etc. We should take care of it, otherwise there will be a existential threat for coming generation.