Mysuru/Mysore: In the wake of a huge shortage of hand sanitisers amid rising fears of COVID-19 community transmission in city, St. Philomena’s College in city has manufactured hand sanitiser in its own laboratories and has distributed the same to its staff and students for free.

The Departments of Chemistry and Bio-Chemistry of the College, in a bid to overcome the shortage, have prepared the cleansing solution by using in-house alcohol and other chemicals.

After a few rounds of trial and error, they prepared two to three types of solutions. The teaching staff later consulted others and finally the best sample was selected and distributed to staff and faculty members who had come to the college to register their attendance.

Chemistry Department Head Dr. Ravi J.D. Saldanha said that there are non-teaching and Group-D employees who earn very little and cannot afford to buy sanitisers by paying Rs. 100 or more; Hence, it was decided to prepare sanitiser at the College laboratory and distribute it to the staff free of cost. He added that if needed the College would prepare and distribute the sanitiser to the general public.