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

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

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

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

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

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

CISR-IIIM Jammu Director Dr D Srinivasa Reddy handed over the machines to Mohammad Yusuf, a representative of Ladakh Union Territory at the 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 the ground to coordinate the operation. The overall operation was swiftly conducted with machines being delivered at short notice to Kargil and Leh for benefit of the people of Ladhak.

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

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