Ahmedabad-Based Textile Association And DRDO Partner To Make N99 Masks

The Ahmedabad Textile Industry’s Research Association and the Defence Research and Development Organization have teamed up to make masks with 99% filter efficiency using a high-quality cloth.

ATIRA will be in charge of developing the material to make five lakh “N99 masks.” The mask is said to perform even better than the N95 masks that have seen a surge in demand after the pandemic broke out.

While the N95 masks can filter up to 95% of the very small airborne particles, the N99 mask can filter 99% of these particles.

According to the textile research association from Ahmedabad, it is the country’s only facility that can produce filter cloth to make these masks.

Pragnesh Shah, ATIRA’s director, said that they had faced many challenges initially. However, with highly competent research technicians and scientists, they had succeeded in developing the cloth and producing it on a large scale.

One N99 mask consists of five different layers. Two layers inside are of nanomesh while three layers outside are of cloth. The filter cloth is being manufactured at ATIRA’s state-of-the-art facility in accordance with WHO guidelines. The masks’ efficiency has been recognized by the Indian government as well as the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

Over 3.5 lakh masks have been sent to DRDO while ATIRA continues to produce more such material.

Deepali Palawat, ATIRA’s deputy director said that it was a challenge to convert the research center into a production unit. However, 15 members of ATIRA, including technicians and scientific officers are trying their best to complete the order for five lakh masks of DRDO.

These masks will be provided to health ministry officials, doctors at AIIMS as well as top defense cadre.