Working towards safe drinking water for all: Harsh Vardhan

Union Minister of Science and Technology, Earth Sciences Harsh Vardhan on Saturday laid a foundation of CSIR-AMPRI Bamboo Composite Structure in Bhopal and said that safe drinking water is required for everyone and the institute is working toward it.

"Safe drinking water is required for everyone and the Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (AMPRI) is working in this direction and gave solution to the problem of Arsenic and Fluoride," said the Union Minister while attending a programme at CSIR constituent lab AMPRI here.

The Union Minister inaugurated the Centre for Advanced Radiation Shielding and Geopolymeric Materials and Analytical High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope Laboratory during his visit to CSIR constituent lab AMPRI based in Bhopal yesterday.

He also laid the foundation stone of the CSIR-AMPRI Bamboo Composite Structure here.

Lauding the institute, Vardhan said: "This institute has been successfully adopting 'Waste to Wealth' strategy as it has developed radiation shielding materials utilising industrial wastes as raw materials.

"Significantly, a novel process for making lead-free and highly effective shielding materials useful for the construction of X-ray diagnostic and CT scanner room has been developed utilising industrial waste namely red mud and fly ash," he said at the event.

The Minister pointed out that the institute is working in the cutting-edge areas of advanced technologies like additive manufacturing and added that scientists have been working in the areas of Biomaterials, Graphene, Smart material, lightweight material, nanomaterial.

"During COVID-19 period, the institute has developed the know-how for stiser, face masks, disinfectant fox," he said, adding that their masks are available on AMAZON too.

"It is in the forefront during the pandemic time by undertaking research problem in collaboration with AIIMS, Bhopal in the area of development of rapid electrochemical based diagnostic for detection of SARS-COV infection", the minister added.

Vardhan while expressing hope said that the centre will enhance the knowledge for understanding the mechsm of Radiation Shielding and improvement in engineering properties of developed materials. It will facilitate the upscaling of technologies in this area and provide technical support to the Indian industry.

Reiterating the "Waste to Wealth" theme, Vardhan also released the fly ash compendium.

( With inputs from ANI )