On May 11, 2020, Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), an Indian defence laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has handed over an innovative, state of the art Mobile Microbial Containment (BSL-3) Laboratory ‘PARAKH’ to the Mysuru Medical College and Research Institute (MMCRI) to test samples of coronavirus (Covid-19) at its hi-tech Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL).
- It is to be noted that Defence minister Rajnath Singh on April 23, 2020, had dedicated the 1st corona sample collection mobile lab “Mobile BSL-3 VRDL Lab” to the nation through video conference in New Delhi.
Key Points:
i.About Parakh:
- It is a fully autonomous containment lab, developed within record time of 2 weeks by ministry of Defence in collaboration with ESIC (Employees’ State Insurance Corporation) Medical College & Hospital, Sanathnagar, Hyderabad with the permission from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
- It is designed on ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 20 feet container and installed on Ashok Leyland 1618-2C-4700 wb cabin Chassis.
- In order to handle clinical, food and environmental samples during biological emergency without any risk to personal and environment, it is works on the line of Class ISO 7 and functions with negative pressure.
ii.The mobile lab equipped with dynamic pass box for transferring the samples directly Class-III Biosafety cabinet for safe handling, PCR (Polymerase chain reaction) workstation, real-time PCR machine, incubator, deep freezer and refrigerator for testing samples and storing solutions for treatment of liquid effluents, safe storage of solid bio-hazard wastes and decontamination by autoclaving and Heating Ventilation Air Condition (HVAC) for maintenance of unidirectional airflow.
iii.The facility also has provision of captive and raw power supply, fuel & one can easily transported water by road and deployed at the site of emergency as per the requirement.
iv.Anuradha, Head, Microbiology, MMCRI; Amrutha, Officer In-charge, Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) and other officials from DFRL were also present during the occasion.
About Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL):
Headquarters– Mysuru, Karnataka
Director– Anil Dutt Semwal
About Mysuru Medical College and Research Institute (MMCRI):
Location– Mysore, Karnataka
Director and Dean– C.P. Nanjaraj.
About DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation):
Headquarters– New Delhi.
Chairman– Dr G. Satheesh Reddy.
