The president of Vulcan, the Indian group that explores coal in Mozambique, assured on Thursday, August 22, of the company’s commitment to “environmental compliance”. The statement was made after complaints from local communities about the increase in pollution caused by the company’s operations in Moatize.
“We have a zero harm policy. All our facilities have been equipped with modern equipment and technology. Sometimes a system fails, and we take precautions for that. If there is an error, I can say that we are totally committed to ensuring that no one in our community suffers,” said Mukesh Kumar, Vulcan’s chairman, in reaction to the complaints, in an interview with the Lusa news agency.
The complaints come from residents of eight neighborhoods in Moatize, in the central province of Tete, where Vulcan explores for coal. The residents claim that the company’s operations have increased pollution in the region, affecting the quality of life in the communities.
In a letter sent to Vulcan, to which Lusa had access, the residents criticize the company’s extraction and mining practices, saying that “they are not in line with any human experience defended and protected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights”.
In response, Mukesh Kumar pointed out that Vulcan operates in an area of 250 square kilometers, and that the community closest to the mines is located at least 350 meters away. “Whenever a detonation is made, we ensure that the vibration, noise and cloud do not exceed 75 meters from the area. If these conditions are maintained, then I don’t think there is a risk to society, which is between 350 and 500 meters away from these areas,” he explained.
Kumar also revealed that a government team visited the exploration area this week following the complaints, and the company is awaiting an official position. “I always say that a company can have a government license to explore an area, but the most important thing is to get the social license to operate, which can only be given by the communities. We are available to correct our mistakes, if we have made any,” he concluded.
In the last three years, Vulcan has produced more than 35 million tons of coal annually in Moatize, an operation acquired from Brazil’s Vale in April 2022 for more than 17 billion meticais (270 million dollars). Vulcan, which is part of the Jindal Group, also operates the Chirodzi mine in the Tete region.
