City-based entrepreneur develops currency notes sanitization machine

Pune: City-based entrepreneur Shrikant Chandane has developed a currency note sanitisation machine which would prove useful for sanitizing currency notes in large numbers to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection through the handling of these notes.

This machine will find application in major business establishments and banks where currency notes are handled in huge volumes by the cashiers or employees.

Presently there is no mechanism to sanitize the currency notes in a proper manner. Some citizens are 'washing' currency notes with soap water but experts have asked citizens to refrain from this method as it can cause wear and tear of the notes.

Ultraviolet rays are used by some but it does not assure complete sanitization of notes. To address this problem, Mr Chandane with the help of the Global Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture Research has developed this machine.

Chandane is a Mechanical Engineer and director of SMC DESIGN, an automotive design company specialised in special purpose vehicles, recreational vehicles, motorhomes and caravans. Global Chamber President Shrikrishna Ayachit offered financial aid to Mr Chandane to develop the machine.

Chandane said, "Every day hundreds and thousands of currency notes are handled by cashiers and other employees at the banks and other commercial establishments. Protective measures taken by these establishments may not be enough to protect the employees from getting infected by the super contagious coronavirus. We have observed that the virus spread has happened through cash handling without proper safety measures."

Speaking about his innovative machine, Chandane said, "There is a fog or mist chamber inside the machine. Liquid sanitizer is converted in the form of mist or fog which is then sprayed over the currency notes inserted inside it. The notes are completely sanitized in the machine if kept for up to 20 seconds. It can sanitize bundles of notes at a time and is an effective solution for cash handling chains in the banking systems. We are also filing for a patent for the machine concept."