Mysuru: Mysore Paints and Varnish Limited which is exclusively supplying indelible ink at polling booths for marking index fingers for elections including the ones for Member of Parliament and Assembly across the country since 1962 is mulling out providing marker pens to mark the fingers of children after having pulse polio drops.
Based on a request from Andhra Pradesh, already samples of marker pens for marking the children’s fingers after having pulse polio drops have been sent to the neighbouring state. Once World Health Organisation gives its approval, the company will start manufacturing marker pens in bulks. The quantity of ink in each marker pen which is sent to AP is 3 ml which can be easily applied to nearly 350 to 400 people.
Speaking to Newskarnataka, H A Venkatesh, Chairman of Mysore Paints and Varnish Limited said, “Our company has developed marker pens for marking fingers of the children after they get immunised with pulse polio drops. Few days ago, the samples have been submitted to WHO. The ink used for election purpose and for children will be different because as soon as we put the ink or mark on children’s finger, children put their fingers into their mouth. Hence keeping this in mind, the ink used for marker pen for children will be low concentrated and also chemically and technically it is different. Based on WHO standard we are coming out with marker pens for children. Once we get approval from WHO we will start manufacturing it in bulk and take part in the tender which will be called by health department.”
In 1962, the election commission in collaboration with law ministry, National Physical Laboratory and National Research Development Corporation made an agreement with Mysuru Paints for supply of indelible ink for not only for elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly but also municipalities, co-operative institutions and organisations that by law, require polls.
Marker pens manufactured by Mysuru Paints and Varnish used for recent President and Vice President elections:
“It is a pride for the company as for the first time marker pens were used to mark on ballot papers during election for President and Vice President. We had sent 1000 marker pens for President and Vice President election purpose. Earlier, the MPs and MLAs used to mark the ballot paper in their own pen but for the first time during this election marker pens were used”, added Venkatesh.
It can also be brought to light that by supplying indelible ink to RBI, Mysuru Paints Varnish Limited earned Rs 1.35 Crore. On November 8, after central government banned Rs 500 and Rs 1000 old notes, RBI asked Mysuru Paints and Varnish to provide indelible ink to mark bank customers to prevent multiple cash withdrawals. The bank staffs put small mark of indelible ink on the right hand finger of those exchanging banned Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes for new ones to prevent crowding at banks by repeat exchangers.
