Ahmedabad: Apartment complex employs UV device to keep coronavirus away

AHMEDABAD: A residential complex, Status Tower, near the TV tower in Thaltej, has found a unique way of keeping the virus away from their plates. They have installed eight ultraviolet (UV) lamps on all sides of a wooden box kept in the complex. The box is then used to sterilize all edible items entering the building, killing all pathogens in about 40 seconds.
The secretary of the housing society, Neerajkumar Singh, 51, who owns a pharma company told TOI that vegetables and other food items are put in the commodities are put in the box and the UV lights are turned on for about 40 seconds. “In this period, the UV rays kill all bacteria and viruses in the vegetables, including the Covid 19 virus,” he added.
Singh said that one must not put their hand in the box while the lights are on, so as a safety measure, they have fitted the box with sensors that turn off the lights when the box is accidentally opened.
On how the idea came to him, Singh said he and team though that potential carriers of the virus cannot be identified easily and thus a device was needed to sterilize the food items coming in.
“My son, Anmol Raj, 21studied documents from the UK and US and came to the conclusion that UV rays are the best way to keep edible items safe. There is also a risk as these UV rays can cause rashes on the skin and affect the retinas of humans,” added Singh.
“We fitted eight UV lamps in the box in a way that they cover all directions, two on the top, and the rest on each side. The box was fitted with sensors as a safety measure, so the lamps are turned off when the box is opened,” he said.
“All members of the society put their edible items in the box to sanitize them,” Singh added. Dr Priyanka Bahal, who lives in the same apartment building said UV rays can be harmful at high intensities but the rays here are of safe intensity and the box is fully safe to use.