On the occasion of World Environment Day, June 5, 2004, Tata Steel inaugurated its first water harvesting project at two locations on the company office premises. One at the research and development premises and the other at the ITS building. Besides, a blower and pump house for the collection of rainwater and recharge of the cooling pond and a Transportnagar for the collection of rainwater and the use of the same for ground water recharge, toilet flushing and gardening, has also been inaugurated by the senior executives of the company.

While addressing the gathering at the ground breaking ceremony of water harvesting initiative at Research and Control Lab and ITS building, A. N. Singh, deputy managing director, Tata Steel (CS), said water is precious to all life forms on this planet. Although 75 per cent of the Earth's surface is covered with water, only 3 per cent of the water available is found suitable for human consumption and out of this 3 per cent, most of the water is either locked in polar ice caps and glaciers or is locked underground beyond the commercial reach of available technologies for exploitation. Only a little less than 1 per cent of water is found in lakes, rivers and approachable underground aquifers. 

Mr Singh added that the situation today has become very serious as most of our water resources are depleting fast due to over exploitation and pollution created from human activities. Ruthless environmental degradation has resulted in very little recharge and replenishment of our aquifers and rivers mainly due to mass deforestation, soil erosion and carelessness on the part of human beings to trap rain water for the replenishment of the water bodies that provide us this valuable resource in the non-monsoon period. 

He further said that Tata Steel is conscious towards its corporate social responsibility to conserve water resources and also to enrich them and has initiated several measures. The consumption of water in households and the steel plant is being reduced year after year by the introduction of recycle and reuse technologies and by harvesting rainwater. Mr Singh informed that the managing director of Tata Steel has written a letter to the chief minister of Jharkhand stating that every building plan that has been passed by the municipal authorities should have a water harvesting plan. 

Mr R. B. B. Singh, president, Tata Worker’s Union, and the guest of honour, said this is a commendable job, which should have been done in larger numbers to protect our environment. He urged all present at the function to pay attention to this alarming problem and conserve water in every means possible. 

In addition, JUSCO has initiated several schemes to harvest rain water in building complexes in the town with technical support from the Center for Science & Environment, a New Delhi-based agency. The efforts made by Tata Steel will bring enormous savings to the water abstracted from rivers in Jamshedpur. The function was attended by senior officials of the company and office bearers of the Tata Workers Union.