Minister for Science and Technology M R Seetharam on Wednesday clarified that the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium would not be relocated from its present location on Raj Bhavan Road.
In fact, the planetarium, which is presently being upgraded at a cost of Rs 12 crore, would be thrown open for the public in January 2017.
The minister said that there were concerns that the government’s proposed steel flyover project between Basaveshwara Circle and Hebbal would obstruct the sky viewing from the planetarium.
Stating that the ramps of the proposed flyover would not disrupt the sky dome educational programme, the minister added that the National Green Tribunal had presently stayed the project.
The minister also said that mobile planetariums would be launched in each of the revenue divisions at a cost of Rs 1.20 crore. This project would benefit students from remote rural areas, he said. While two mini digital planetariums were being established in Bagalkot (University of Horticulture Sciences campus) and Vijayapura (Karnataka State Women’s University campus) at a cost of Rs 5.75 crore, a 3D digital planetarium was being set up at the Dharwad Regional Science Centre at Rs 22 crore.
Seetharam also said that one more Regional Science Centre was being established on the campus of University of Mysore with the support of the Union Ministry of Culture at a cost of Rs 14.50 crore. A state-of-the-art planetarium with latest technological facilities will also be established at the Pilikula Regional Science Centre in Mangaluru at a cost of Rs 25 crore. The minister also said that one of the largest science galleries would be established in the Indian Veterinary Research Institute campus, Hebbal, by the department in association with the Science Gallery International, Ireland.
DH News Service