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** IIT-Bombay finds innovative way to generate oxygen

An official statement claimed that initial tests conducted at the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay have shown “promising results”.

Amid the shortage of medical oxygen for treating COVID-19 patients, the IIT-Bombay has come up with an ingenious solution to help address the issue by converting a nitrogen unit into an oxygen generating unit, the institute said on Thursday.

The pilot project, which has been tested successfully, relies on a simple technological intervention of converting a Pressure Swing Adsorption nitrogen unit into a PSA oxygen unit, according to an official statement.

** Herpetologist Deepak Veerappan has a snake named after him

Xylophis deepaki has iridescent scales and is just 20 cm long

In the first four months of 2021, the Western Ghats presented new butterflies, frogs, fruit flies, and even a freshwater crab. Joining the list is a tiny snake of just 20 cm length with iridescent scales – Xylophis deepaki, first stumbled upon in a coconut plantation in Kanyakumari, is now reported to be an endemic species of Tamil Nadu and has been sighted in a few locations in the southern part of the Western Ghats. The species is named in honour of Indian herpetologist Deepak Veerappan for his contribution in erecting a new subfamily Xylophiinae to accommodate wood snakes. The team suggests the common name Deepak’s wood snake.

** Coronavirus | Duty exemption for diagnostic kits imports

Aim to boost the testing apparatus for COVID-19 across the country

To boost the testing apparatus for COVID-19 across the country and ease the availability of oxygen concentrators, the government on Friday notified a customs duty exemption for diagnostic kits imports and altered the foreign trade policy.

The Department of Revenue exempted imports of inflammatory diagnostic (marker) kits, namely IL6, D-Dimer, CRP, LDH, Ferritin, Pro Calcitonin (PCT) and blood gas reagents, from customs duty till October 31, 2021 to supplement testing efforts, the Finance Ministry said in a statement.

** U.S. okays proposed sale of six P-8I patrol aircraft to India

Deal is estimated to be worth $2.42 billion.

The U.S. State Department on Friday approved the proposed sale of six P-81 patrol aircraft  and related equipment, a deal estimated to cost $2.42 billion.

In November 2019, the Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, approved the procurement of the long-range maritime surveillance aircraft manufactured by Boeing.

The original proposal was for 10 more aircraft but was cut down to six due to budgetary constraints as well as because the Navy had adopted some fleet rationalisation measures and was considering long-endurance unmanned platforms.

** RIL emerges as the largest producer and supplier of medical grade oxygen

“I am proud of our engineers at Jamnagar who have worked tirelessly.”

The country’s largest refiner and petrochemical giant Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has ramped up its production of medical grade oxygen from ZERO to 1000 MT per day, constituting more than 11% of the country’s total medical grade liquid oxygen production.

This oxygen is being provided free-of-cost to several State Governments across the country to bring immediate relief to over 1 lakh patients on a daily basis, the company said in a statement.

“Our plants at our Jamnagar refinery have been repurposed overnight to produce medical grade liquid oxygen that is being distributed across India. Our thoughts and prayers are with our fellow countrymen and women. Together, we will overcome these difficult times,” said Nita Ambani, chief of Reliance Foundation, philanthropic arm of the RIL.

** India gets first consignment of Sputnik V vaccine from Russia

Hyderabad customs expedited the clearance of the COVID-19 vaccine

India on Saturday received the first consignment of Russia’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

The CBIC in a tweet said that Hyderabad customs expedited the clearance of the COVID-19 vaccine imported from Russia.

“Hyderabad Customs, @cgstcushyd facilitated expeditious clearance of #SputnikV Vaccine imported from Russia,” the CBIC tweeted