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Sterlite Copper launches coffee table book highlighting role of copper in the modern world

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Highlighting the importance of copper and its contribution to the modern world, Sterlite Copper launched a coffee table book, showcasing its origin and its definitive role in shaping the modern world, at the SICCI CXO Conclave, held in Chennai.

Unveiled by Mayur Karmakar, MD, International Copper Association, India, with Ms. A. Sumathi, Chief Operating Officer, Sterlite Copper, the 70-page book comes with an interesting title “Hi I’M COPPER”.

The book traverses the entire journey of copper from its discovery in 9,000 B.C. in an Egyptian river to the current times, focusing on its integral role in creating the modern world as we know it today. The book also traces the lifecycle of the metal and covers the entire gamut of its industrial and sectoral usage ranging from Power, Defence, Automobiles, Healthcare, FMCD among others.

Speaking at the launch of the Coffee Table Book, Ms. A. Sumathi, Chief Operating Officer, Sterlite Copper said: “We are delighted to unveil the copper coffee table book ‘Hi, I’m Copper’. The book aims to essay the journey of Copper and Sterlite’s smelting story. Over the last 25 years, Sterlite Copper has leveraged on technology to upgrade its processes and we had always benchmarked our practices to the global standards in terms of energy efficiency, copper recovery, effluent treatment while being sensitive to our corporate ethos of ESG standards.”

The book highlights how Sterlite Copper, which began with a 100 KTPA Smelter in the year 1996, went on to become the largest supplier of Copper in India, meeting nearly 36 per cent of the country’s copper demand by 2018. The operations of the plant are also benchmarked against global best-practices, with certifications in Quality, Environment, Occupational Health & Safety, Energy.

The plant has also invested heavily in environmental safeguards such as Gas Scrubbers, Effluent Treatment Plants and Reverse Osmosis Plants in order to ensure a safe and sustainable operation in Thoothukudi. The plant has been certified for its Zero Liquid Discharge, Water Consumption Management, Waste Reduction and Repurposing Waste towards Sustainable Applications.

The book also clearly brings out the economic benefits of the Thoothukudi plant in Tamil Nadu. It had emerged as a pillar of support for the community and a provider of livelihood to thousands of people. The plant engaged about 1,000 trucks/tankers on daily basis with consistent load, thereby providing livelihood to around 9,000 truck drivers and cleaners per month. It had over 650 supply and service partners and helped them generate a business of close to $134 million every year. The total number of dependent domestic companies for supply of raw material from Sterlite Copper was 381 and contributed approximately $295 million to the exchequer.

Additionally, it provided more than 17 per cent of Thoothukudi port’s total revenue. Even the by-products of the copper smelting like sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid, gypsum and copper slag act as critical input for a number of important industries. While sulphuric acid is the primary raw material for chemical and fertilizer, gypsum is a key ingredient for cement production.

Sumathi adds: “Copper is the third most used metal in industrial and civil applications across the world and its constantly increasing demand increases the need for production, thereby having a direct impact on employment opportunities & downstream industries. We at Sterlite have created direct employment for 4,000 people and impacted more than 20,000 people engaged in various supplier and customer units. Through the book, we want everyone to become aware about the journey & importance of copper and Sterlite, which together contributed immensely to the overall economy, not just at a national level, but also at a State and District level.”.

Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, Institute Chair Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur & Former Secretary, Department of Science & Technology, government of India, who wrote the foreword for the coffee table book, says” “I believe Copper is one of the key drivers of Industry 4.0 and beyond. An invisible enabler, copper’s role in the future of our world will be all pervasive from our homes to outer space explorations.

“I’m delighted that the importance of copper is being covered in a comprehensive way in the book being launched today. I wish to congratulate the team Sterlite for conceiving and executing this much needed document of value to its many stakeholders from the traditional industries to Industry 4.0 and Digital/cyber technologies.”

Also speaking at the occasion, Mayur Karmakar, MD, International Copper Association India, said: “Copper is the third-most-essential metal in the world, contributing to the environmental and socio-economic development across the globe. The demand for the crucial metal, which is a key input for multiple sectors, is expected to further raise sustainable growth in the post-pandemic scenario.”

Another significant aspect of the book is that it brings into focus, the role of the company in building an aspirational and empowered society with all the stakeholders working in tandem for the common good all. For instance, under the Muthucharam initiative, the company plans to build a smart school and a well-equipped hospital for the community. Plans are also afoot to plant 1 million trees to make Thoothukudi, one of the greenest cities in India. Other initiatives include providing clean drinking water to every family in Thoothukudi. More than 2,300 families have already benefited from this project,Tamira Surabhi till date.

Business

Maharashtra govt issues notice to Ola Electric over missing trade certificates

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Pune, April 4: The Maharashtra government has issued a notice to Ola Electric Mobility Limited, asking the company to explain why some of its stores in the state are operating without valid trade certificates.

According to the notice from the Transport Commissioner’s Office, several Ola Electric showrooms and service centres in Maharashtra are being run without the required documents.

The notice also accuses the company of illegally selling vehicles through these unauthorised outlets.

According to media report, the notice, dated March 31, gives the company three days to respond.

“This is a very serious matter, and you are requested to provide an explanation within three days as to why action should not be taken against your company for this act,” the notice said.

It was reportedly signed by Joint Transport Commissioner Ravi Gaikwad. However, as of now, Ola Electric has not responded officially on the issue.

The notice follows an earlier inspection drive initiated by the state transport authority.

On March 21, NDTV Profit had reported that Maharashtra’s Transport Commissioner had instructed all Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) to carry out special checks at Ola Electric stores.

These inspections reportedly revealed that many outlets were functioning without the necessary trade certificates.

As per the Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, every vehicle distributor or manufacturer must obtain a trade certificate to register and sell vehicles.

In addition, Rule 35 of the same law states that each showroom or dealership must have a separate certificate from the concerned registration authority.

The shares of the electric two-wheeler manufacturer closed lower by Rs 1.42 or 2.63 per cent to close the intra-day trade at Rs 52.62 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).

Earlier this week, the company saw a sharp drop in its electric two-wheeler sales in March 2025, selling 23,430 units — a steep 56 per cent decline compared to the same month last year.

The company said on April 1 that the fall was mainly due to disruptions caused by its recent shift to handling vehicle registrations in-house, a process that began in February.

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Business

Cabinet okays 4 projects worth Rs. 18,658 crore to expand track network of Indian Railways

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New Delhi, April 4: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved four projects to expand the track network of Indian Railways with an investment of Rs 18,658 crore, according to an official statement issued on Friday.

The four projects covering 15 districts in three states – Maharashtra, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh – will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 1,247 km.

These projects include Sambalpur-Jarapda 3rd and 4th Lines, Jharsuguda-Sason 3rd and 4th Lines, Kharsia-Naya Raipur-Parmalkasa 5th and 6th Lines, and Gondia-Balharshah doubling

The enhanced line capacity will improve mobility, providing enhanced efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. These multi-tracking proposals will ease operations and reduce congestion, providing the much-needed infrastructural development on the busiest sections across Indian Railways. The projects are in line with PM Modi’s vision of a New India, which will make people of the region “Aatmanirbhar” with comprehensive development in the area, which will enhance their employment/ opportunities, the official statement said.

The projects are part of the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity which entail integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods and services.

With these projects, 19 new stations will be constructed, enhancing connectivity to two Aspirational Districts (Gadchiroli and Rajnandgaon). The multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to around 3,350 villages and about 47.25 lakh population.

Kharsia-Naya Raipur-Parmalkasa lines will provide direct connectivity to new areas such as Baloda Bazar, and this will create possibilities for the setting up of new industrial units, including cement plants, in the region.

These lines are essential routes for the transportation of commodities such as agricultural products, fertiliser, coal, iron ore, steel, cement, and limestone. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 88.77 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum), the statement said.

With rhe Railways being an environment friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation, the new projects will help both in achieving climate goals and minimising logistics costs of the country. The projects are expected to reduce oil import by 95 crore litres and lower CO2 emissions by 477 crore kg, which is equivalent to planting 19 crore trees, the statement added.

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‘Waqf Bill will benefit Muslims, no threat to religious sites,’ says Shahabuddin Razvi

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New Delhi, April 4: Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi, the National President of All India Muslim Jamaat, expressed his support for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, stating that it would significantly benefit Muslims and ensure the betterment of their socio-economic conditions.

He praised the passage of the bill in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and thanked the Modi government.

Maulana Shahabuddin, giving his first reaction to passage of bill, said, “The Waqf Amendment Bill does not harm common Muslims, it will benefit them. The only ones who stand to lose are the Waqf land mafias who have illegally occupied valuable land. Common Muslims will not be affected by this.”

He further stated that the bill is aimed at protecting the interests of the poor and vulnerable sections of the Muslim community.

The Maulana explained that the revenue generated from Waqf land would be used to improve the socio-economic status of impoverished Muslims, particularly those unable to afford quality education for their children.

“The income from Waqf land will be used for the benefit of poor Muslims, helping children from low-income families get a better education, and assisting orphans and widows in their development,” he said.

Maulana Shahabuddin assured that the funds would be used according to the intention of the Waqf and aimed at opening schools, colleges, madrasas, and orphanages to uplift the educational and social standing of underprivileged Muslims.

Addressing concerns about the impact on religious sites, Maulana Shahabuddin stated, “The Waqf Amendment Bill poses no threat to religious sites. Mosques, madrasas, Eidgahs, cemeteries, and shrines will remain unaffected. The government will not interfere with these religious institutions in any way.”

He further cautioned the Muslim community against falling prey to misleading political narratives, urging them not to be swayed by political figures seeking to exploit the situation for their own gain.

“Some politicians are misleading Muslims for their own interests. I appeal to the Muslim community to not fall for their provocations,” he added.

In the early hours of Friday, the Rajya Sabha approved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, with a majority of 128 votes against 95, following a heated debate. The Bill had been passed in the Lok Sabha just a day earlier, after nearly 12 hours of intense discussions.

Drawing a parallel to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) controversy, Maulana Shahabuddin recalled how political leaders misled the Muslim community, causing unwarranted fear that Muslims would lose their citizenship.

“When the CAA law was introduced, Muslims were misled into believing that their citizenship would be revoked. However, after its implementation, it became clear that no Muslim in India lost their citizenship, and instead, many were granted citizenship,” he stated.

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