Pressure to perform in hostile and inhospitable conditions; Armed Service in the region facing innumerable problems to keep their motivation aloft and carry out operations meticulously; and this situation prevails not only in the operational and forward areas but in the cantonments as well. Fighting with malaria and other water borne diseases are serious ones in the region; but finally, some solace to the forces from Life Science Group of Laboratories of Defence Research and Development Organization, which are trying to develop medicines and array of products for forces so that they could feel a little ease during operations and while staying in cantonments, with its wider motto, promoting human health, hygiene, environment and agriculture in the North East Region covering local populace also.
Defence Research Laboratory Tezpur organized “User’s Interactive Conference” at DRL Tezpur on September 12 to address issues between scientists and army personnels who are using it. DRL is an esteem institution in the field of life sciences research and development activities through its R&D programmes over the years. Laboratory has developed products and process absolutely necessary for troops and local people. Water Deferrization Unit, Water Testing Kit, Herbal Mosquito Repellant Vaporizer, Herbal Floating Larvicide Tablet, Herbal anti- dermatophytic ointment, Vermicomposting & Vermi Tea etc are some of technological achievements.
Inaugurating and Speaking at the conference organized by the Defence Reaserch laboratory, Tezpur, Chief Controller of Defence Research (DRDO) said that Defence Research and development Organization is adding in Country’s growth by contributing in military power, economic power, and knowledge power. DRDO is contributing in smallest manner for improving performance of soldiers by providing them potable water, prevention against malaria and other diseases, he added.
“ You can make available the best of weapon to the armed forces but it is soldier who uses them, if they are not fit how can they achieve goals,” he said. Dr. Selvamurthy reiterated that the prime concern of these laboratories is enhancement in the ability of soldiers in terms of lethality, survivability, efficiency and sustainability.
“ This User’s Interactive Conference will go a long way to improve upon products already developed by DRDO for army personnels after getting feedbacks from the forces, who are end users of the product,” he hoped adding: We will try to include some of the gadgets being used by the forces on War Establishments so that all units of forces should use them and they should not become mere showpieces.
“Some selective measures were adopted for control of malaria in the malaria prone areas and villages. Slide Positivity Rates (SPR) were recorded before and after the control measures. SPR has come down drastically from 7.8 percent to 1.8 percent in cantonment villages and from 12 percent to 8.5 percent in tea villages respectively,” said Dr. R. B. Srivastava, Director, Defence Research Laboratory, Tezpur.
We carried first ever G-6- PD deficiency survey in the NE region and recorded 1.5 percent deficiency in the troops and 9 percent deficiency in the civil populace, he added.
He said: Studies are going on to explore the Genetic diversity of malarial parasite, plasmodium falciparum and its relationship to disease severity & transmission intensity, particularly from malaria endemic areas being located using IRS imageries near foothills areas of Assam.
“We have developed non-electric mosquito herbal vaporizer using herbal mosquito repellent which is non toxic and non –allergic and can be operated with out electricity. This product is highly economical and most suitable for use in forward areas and interior rural areas where electricity is not available or bumped off frequently,” he said.
Speaking during the technical session: A herbarium of 38 Phytopathogeon –infected plant specimens has been prepared which will be useful in proper identification of plant disease and in taking care of adequate control measures, said Dr. R B Srivastava, Director, DRL.
He said: DRL has created a good facility for physical- chemical analysis of drinking water. Defence, Civil authorities, and private sector take help of these facilities to carry out physico- chemical analysis of water samples. A water testing kit has been developed and 265 Kits were supplied to the services and civil agencies for assessing water quality in the field conditions, he added.
Four Products viz. Iron Removal Unit mark II, Falcipin Test Kit for malaria detection, fully automatic chapatti making machine and light weight foldable stretchers developed by life sciences group of laboratories from DRDO were handed over by Dr. W. Selvamurthy, Chief Controller (LS & HR), DRDO HQrs to Maj. Gen. S. C. Sharma, VSM, Chief of Staff, HQ 4 Corps.
Maj Gen Sharma thanked DRDO for developing products and technologies relevant to Army, which will certainly help the men behind the machine.
“ This type of Interactive Conferences help to understand the requirements and perspective of users, which would go a long way to give lead to DRDO scientists to develop products and technologies best suited for services and common populace,” said Dr. R C Sawhney, Director, Life Sciences, DRDO.
“We have already transferred so may technologies developed by DRDO to the industry for commercial use under the Transfer of Technology Scheme to help in socio economic uplift leading to well being of local populace of the North East Region,” he added.
Training on vermicompost technology to local unemployed youths with a view to support entrepreneurship has already been imparted by this institute . Transfer of Technology on vermicomposting made to two local entrepreneurs, he said.
“ Training on Vermi Compost Production Technology from DRL, helped me to become an entrepreneur. I am presently marketing the product under brand name ‘ Vermax’, said Deepak Sarma of M/s Agro-excel tech industry during the interactive session.
Rajamani Bhuyan and Arup Kalita of M/s Ecological Vermicompost Manufacturing Industries Tezpur, who also received this technology from DRL and marketing it under brand name ‘Sanjeevani’, also took part in the discussion.
Defence Research Laboratory, Tezpur is a premiere laboratory of NE Region under Defence Research & Development Organization and is relentlessly pursuing research and development for promoting a better environment, agriculture, health and hygiene for the soldiers in forward and remote areas.
Pankaj Pandey, Deputy Director, Pib, Guwahat
