INTERVIEWSLSL

Dr JPS Bakshi , Managing Director,Lion Services Ltd.

How did Lion Service Limited come into existence and how has been the journey so far?

More than 50 years back, my mother started this company with carpet cleaning and floor polishing services. Since I took over as the chairman of the company in 1987, we have consciously grown horizontally and vertically as an organization to become an integrated facilities management and municipal services company. Today we broadly
offer three verticals – Environment Hygiene Services, Facility Management Services and Public Space Management Services. We are one of the pioneers in the innovations introduced in the sector and one of the largest organized players in the category in India.

How would you describe the hygiene market in India?

The hygiene market in India is highly fragmented and it is still not given the amount of importance it deserves. The Swacch Bharat Campaign has around 7000 crores allocated in the 23-24 annual budget, and it just shows the importance this government gives this initiative. There are lots of costs associated with lack of hygiene – the health costs, the cost of cleaning rivers and sea-beds, the cost of air pollution etc – if we add all that, it is a huge opportunity. And a lot of times, if proper hygiene and discipline are maintained, many larger hazards like environment and health hazards can be easily avoided. This sector will get even more importance as it is predicted that more than 50 percent of Indian population will be living in urban areas. The cities are not geared up for this. The smart city mission has
tried to address this issue; however, hygiene will continue to be a huge, huge opportunity for India to be not just a wealthy but a healthy country. Lack of hygiene can be a huge impediment for the growth of India as an economic superpower.

What are the challenges faced by the sector?

Lack of awareness is one of the biggest challenges for the sector. Simple ideas like segregation of wet and dry waste, using bins & not littering the roadsides and basic cleanliness of the surroundings are yet to be adopted by the larger population. When we look at the developed countries, they are clean because they are disciplined in maintaining cleanliness and basic hygiene. Finding skilled manpower who can manage modern hygiene equipment is a challenge in India. It is due to these challenges; it becomes difficult to implement modernised and methodical approach to hygiene management. The positive side to these challenges is that the things are changing for the better and the
Swacch Bharat Mission played a big role in this endeavor.

What services do you offer and who are your clients and your presence?

We are one of the pioneers in the innovations introduced in the sector and one of the largest organized players in the category in India. Today, our clients include government bodies and large private companies including PWDs and MCDs. We have a team of around 7000 plus people to support the operations in providing reliable 24×7 operational facilities in cities like Mohali, Amritsar, Bilaspur, Patna, Ranchi, Lucknow, Bhubaneshwar, Noida, Agra, Prayagraj, Chandigarh, Solapur, Adani Krishnapatnam Port Limited, among others.

What makes LSL unique?

I think one of the main differentiators for LSL is that we have a team that shares the common vision and as it is said that a dream that you dream together becomes a reality. So, we are dreamers and doers who are passionate about hygiene and community service through their work. In terms of modernisation, LSL is home to one of the largest
fleets of state-of-the-art power sweeping in the business, fully equipped with digital technologies like GPS, GIS & VTMS to quickly respond and adapt to customer requirements in real-time. We are the first to introduce mechanised cleaning technologies in the country and many other innovations over the years.

What are the upcoming projects? And what are your focus areas?

We have lots of interesting projects coming up but one project that is extremely important for us is a large Public Space Management project in South India. We will very soon announce the details about the project. It has the possibility to change the tourism and employment dynamics in the area. So, please watch this space for more…

What is your long-term vision for the company?

At LSL we want to continue our horizontal and vertical growth to thrive in the coming times. We want to take up projects and possibilities which will have a social impact along with economic impact for the nation. We want to play a critical role in the nation building process as India moves towards becoming an economic superpower fuelled by a 5 trillion-dollar economy.