The centre, a joint venture of the Centre, the State government and Karnatak University, Dharwad (KUD), will come up on a 12-acre land on the KUD campus at an estimated cost of Rs 7.5 crore.
If everything goes as planned, the centre will be ready within a year.
The RSC’s main objective is to present the growth of science and technology and their utility in human welfare and the evolutionary process of birds, mammals and man. This centre is also expected to play an important role in developing scientific attitude and temper among children, besides creating general awareness among the people.
The Regional Science Centre will have different sections, which include a planetarium, life science corners, science park, the dinosaur complex, toy train and ropeway and many more.
In addition, the Cenre will also work as a host to exhibitions, seminars, popular lectures, science camps and other programmes in popularising science.
An experts’ team from the the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), which will guide the agencies concerned in setting up of the centre, had already visited KU campus to finalise the location and tenders had been called for to design, develop and fabricate science museum exhibits, demonstration equipment and scientific teaching aids to be exhibited in the RSC.
First of its kind
“This is first of its kind centre in the State. With its interactive exhibits, to be spread over sprawling landscape, and three-dimensional figures of some extinct animals and birds will certainly make the RSC an attractive tourist spot in this part of the State,” says Mr Vinay Luthra, Registrar of KUD.
Several objects to be displayed in the centre will give a hands-on experience to the students and general visitors to study various laws and principles of science in an enjoyable way. This will make learning science and technology, which a majority of students and people think difficult to understand, a fun.
An independent society will be set up to look after the Regional Science Centre and enough space would be provided for the society to make the Centre a self-sustainable entity.
