Science park coming up as part of INO project

MADURAI: A huge ‘science park', which will be open to the public, particularly for school and college students, has been included as one of the components of the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) project being established in Theni district. Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has given clearance on Monday for the Rs.1,200-crore underground INO project in the West Bodi Hills in Theni district with the exact location situated in Pottipuram panchayat. Official sources told the news agencies on Tuesday that a committee, which is looking into the implementation of the project, had recommended that a science park be set up either at the project site in Theni district or at any other place with easy access. “We have made a formal request to the State Government and the Theni district administration to allot land for the park. They were very receptive,” a senior official said. The park will give an experience of really “learning science while playing.” The committee has also recommended several outreach programmes to be conducted in Tamil for the better understanding of rural students. “Our objective is to involve local people in science activities. We will have many programmes in Tamil not only in Theni district but also in surrounding areas like Madurai,” the official said. Meanwhile, the land required for having the INO headquarters/administrative office in Madurai has been identified. The Madurai district administration has offered to provide 30 acres of land bordering the Vadapalanji/Karadipatti villages near the Madurai Kamaraj University for the purpose of INO headquarters. “At the Theni site, we will have only the detector for experimental studies. We will have a laboratory in the Madurai centre for data analysis,” an official said. Agreements of cooperation are expected to be signed with leading educational institutions in and around Madurai.