Wood is the major source
of fibre for the paper and paperboards industry. Availability of wood remains a major
challenge and a serious sustainability concern, specially with the forest cover in India
being a meagre 11% against a desirable 33%.
ITC’s paperboards mill at
Bhadrachalam is one of the most modern and contemporary plants of its kind in the world.
The mill manufactured over 300,000 tons of paperboards in 2005-06 (more than 7 times its
first gross production in 1980-81). The raw material requirement for this level of
production was 2,69,516 tons of wood, apart from waste paper and some special pulp.
 ITC has effectively leveraged its need for wood
fibre to provide significant opportunities to the economically backward by helping them
raise plantations. ITC’s forestry project aims at building grassroots capacities to
initiate a virtuous cycle of sustainable development.
At the heart of this comprehensive
greening project is ITC’s state-of-the-art Research & Development Centre,
consistently striving to improve the productivity of several tree species in order to give
attractive land-use alternatives to traditional farmers and wasteland owners.
ITC’s Research & Development
Centre has evolved high-yielding, site-specific, disease-resistant clones and a
comprehensive package of plantation management practices. This knowledge of best practices
is continuously transferred to the growers right from the delivery of clonal saplings to
completion of harvest. ITC distributed 49 million high quality clonal saplings to farmers
during the year.
Apart from the obvious benefits of
increasing the green cover, this effort also directly contributes to in situ moisture
conservation, groundwater recharge and significant reduction in top-soil losses due to
wind and water erosion. As a result of the leaf-litter from multi-species plantations and
the promotion of leguminous inter-crops, depleted soils are constantly enriched.
Over 91% of the Bhadrachalam mill’s
total wood requirement came from plantations under its forestry project. Only 1,301 tons
(0.5 %) was sourced from private farmlands. The mill also utilised 74,662 tons of waste
paper. Its bamboo requirement of 22,881 tons was met from government authorised/approved
open market sale.
ITC does not buy wood-based raw materials
from unidentified sources. The Bhadrachalam mill, the only unit in ITC with pulping
facilities, is ISO 9001 certified. It ensures traceability of all the wood used in its
manufacturing process.
ITC is committed to greening 1,00,000
hectares in a decade under its forestry programme. This would far exceed the wood fibre
requirement for its paperboards business. This will create livelihood opportunities for
1.2 million people in tribal areas and sustain ITC’s position as a 'carbon positive'
corporation. |
