The Indian cement industry has been lauded for its sustainability initiatives, earning recognition for being both water-positive and plastic-negative. This acknowledgment came during the 18th NCB International Conference & Exhibition on Cement, Concrete, and Building Materials, which concluded on November 29, 2024, at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in Dwarka, New Delhi.
The awards were presented by Ms. Arti Bhatnagar, Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor at the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). She recognised cement plants excelling in areas such as energy performance, environmental excellence, quality, and circular economy initiatives within integrated cement plants. Ms. Bhatnagar also highlighted the industry’s contributions to environmental sustainability, specifically noting its achievement in becoming water-positive and plastic-negative. Further emphasising the industry’s commitment to innovation, Ms. Bhatnagar unveiled the Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravya (BND) — an Indian Certified Reference Material of Gypsum Standard developed by NCB in collaboration with NPL, NMI of India. This material is poised to support the government’s “Make in India” and “Atma Nirbhar Bharat” initiatives, reducing the need for imports and helping conserve foreign exchange.
The conference also saw the release of the 8th edition of the NCB Guide Norms for cement plant operations. In addition, Ms. Bhatnagar took the opportunity to explore the concurrent technical exhibition, engaging with startups that showcased their innovations.Dr. L.P. Singh, Director General of NCB, shared that the conference had received an overwhelming response, with over 1,160 delegates, 600+ visitors, and 140 students attending the event. A total of 150 technical papers were presented across 21 sessions, and 70 posters were digitally shared in 8 poster sessions.
Shri Mahendra Singhi, Member of the Board of Governors and Strategic Advisor at Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Ltd., presented certificates to the authors of Special Merit papers during the event. Dr. Singh also announced that NCB would be working with the startup “Zero Carbon” to quantify and offset the carbon footprint generated by the conference. This year’s conference, organised by the National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB), a leading research and development organisation under DPIIT, further solidified the cement industry’s role as a leader in sustainability and innovation.
