The Ahmedabad Textile Industry’s Research Association (ATIRA) has joined forces with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to produce high-quality cloth.
This cloth will further be used to produce 5 lakh N-99 masks which will have 99 per cent filter efficiency and is claimed to have the highest efficiency among all types of masks available in India including N-95 which is able to filter around 95 per cent of micro airborne particles.
Pragnesh Shah, Director of ATIRA, said “99 per cent filtration achievement came up with many challenges initially but the tireless efforts of our highly competent scientists and research technicians have helped us develop this cloth.”
The efficiency of these masks has been recognised by both the Government of India and DRDO. The DRDO is getting N-99 masks ready for health ministry officials, top defence people and doctors of AIIMS to help them fight coronavirus pandemic.
According to ATIRA, the N-99 mask contains five layers out of which two are inside and made up of nano-mesh, while three outer layers are made of cloth. The cloth is currently manufactured at a state-of-the-art facility of ATIRA as per the WHO guidelines.
The cloth to produce over 3.5 lakh masks has already been given to DRDO by ATIRA, while the production of cloth required to product rest of 1.5 lakh masks is ongoing in supervision of 15-member staff of ATIRA.
