Heavy rains in Delhi, the basement lab of Kusuma School of Biological Sciences (KSBS) of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi was flooded. This caused a lot of loss to the students and faculty members.
Cleaning efforts are underway, but many students have had to pause their research due to the damage. Lost equipment, chemicals, and years of research data are pushing some students to wait months to resume their work.
Safety Concerns Raised
Students expressed concern about the safety of sanitation workers cleaning the lab. The presence of hazardous chemicals highlights the need for proper protective gear, which was reportedly missing. Also, concerns were raised about the potential environmental impact of improperly disposing of contaminated floodwater.
A PhD scholar at IIT Delhi’s Kusuma School of Biological Sciences (KSBS) discovered the laboratory in the lower basement flooded around 10.30 am on June 28th during heavy rains. “When I went into the lab to collect my stuff, the water was almost up to the knee level. I have lost my laptop. I am still trying to dry and recover five years of research work,” a final-year student said.
The flooded incident has caused a major setback for many researchers at IIT Delhi. The institute is likely looking into solutions to prevent similar incidents and improve lab safety protocols.
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