IICT all set to get accreditation for testing chemical weapons

Hyderabad-based Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) is likely to become the first laboratory in the country to get accreditation for testing chemical weapons.

If IICT gets the designation, India will be become the tenth country in the world to have such a facility.

Addressing a press conference on the eve of the institute's diamond jubilee celebrations, J S Yadav, director of Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, said: "The institute has successfully completed two tests and one more test is in the pipeline. On the successful completion of the test, IICT will be the first lab to have a chemical weapons testing center in the country."

He said that the institute expects to get the accreditation in the next one year from the German-based Organisation for Prevention of Chemical Weapons.

The accreditation would authorise IICT to test domestic samples as well as test samples from other countries.

"Once we get the accreditation, we would have to set up a new lab which would require an investment of around Rs 5 crore. We expect the defence ministry to provide the required investment," Yadav said.

According to him, the lab would help in undertaking testing chemical weapons and harmful toxins.

Speaking about the other experiments which are being conducted, U Suryanarayana Murthy, head of the biology division, said: "A team is conducting research and development works in Kurnool on Japanese encephalitis. This is a three-year project which is being funded by the World Bank."

Murthy said that 13 districts in the state have been affected by Japanese encephalitis.