IAF airlifts essential COVID-19 testing machines from Chandigarh, Jammu to Leh & Kargil

As India battles second wave of COVID-19, Indian Air Force (IAF) has deployed its resources in fight against dely virus. On Saturday, IAF swung into action to airlift a lo of Four Bio Safety Cabinets and two Centrifuges with a combined weight of nearly 2 tonnes, and transport it to Leh and Kargil.

 machinery costing more than Rs 1 crore each are used in COVID-19 testing and storage of samples. machinery was manufactured by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). IAF's Chinook helicopter was deployed to airlift essential equipment from Jammu.

IAF airlifts equipment to Lakh to set up COVID-19 testing facilities 

IAF airlifted essential machinery to Leh and Kargil from Jammu to enhance COVID-19 testing infrastructure in order to cope up with rising cases at both places. Due to ro closure, Air Force was called upon by Lakh ministration to airlift essential machinery.

"Chinook airborne from Jammu to Leh at 0830 with 850 kg lo including bio-safety cabinet and centrifuges. se machines costing over Rs 1 crore each me by CSIR and now given to UT of Lakh are essential for COVID testing for storage of samples to avoid virus spre," said IAF on Saturday.

CISR-IIIM Jammu Director Dr D Srinivasa Reddy handed over machines to Mohamm Yusuf, a representative of Lakh Union Territory at Air Force Station on April 24 morning. CSIR-IIIM scientists from Jammu, Dr Zabeer Ahmed, Dr Sumit Gandhi and Dr Deepika Singh were also present on ground to coordinate operation.  overall operation was swiftly conducted with machines being delivered at short notice to Kargil and Leh for benefit of people of Lhak.

machines were given to UT Lhak by CSIR-IIIM Jammu and due to ro closure, Air Force was called upon to airlift se to ir destination by Lhak UT ministration. machines were handed over by Director CSIR-IIIM Jammu, Dr D Srinivasa Reddy to UT Lhak representative Mh Yusuf at Air Force Station, Jammu on morning of 24 Apr 21.  operation was conducted under leership of AOC Air Cmde AS Pathania and COO Gp Capt Sandeep Singh who ensure operation was conducted in a short time.

On Friday, IAF deployed C-17 and two IL-76 aircraft to airlift big oxygen tankers from ir place of use to filling stations across country to speed up distribution of much-needed oxygen. Three oxygen empty cryogenic oxygen containers were airlifted to be brought back to oxygen manufacturing plants to refill empty containers.