Mangaluru: Science and Technology Minister M R Seetharam on Thursday inaugurated Swami Vivekananda Planetarium at the Dr. K. Shivaram Karanth Pilikula Nisargadhama on the outskirts of the country. This is India’s first 3D planetarium.
Speaking on the occasion, he said that the state government's aim was to establish a science centre in every district.
"The state government's department of science and technology has laid thrust upon developing scientific temper among the youth. Towards this direction, the department has proposed to construct sub-regional science centres and planetariums in various districts, including those in Hyderabad-Karnataka. These centres would help to build a scientific mindset among the students," he said.
Regional science centres have already been operational in Mangaluru and Dharwad. The Mysuru Regional Science Centre is in the phase of construction. Sub-regional science centres are operating in Bidar, Bellary, Raichur and Karwar.
Similar centres will come up in Chikkaballapur, Koppal, Haveri, Bagalkot, Davanagere and Gadag. Proposals are being prepared towards the establishment of science centres in Madya, Kolar, Chitradurga.
Work on a planetarium in Hubballi, taken up at a cost of Rs 22 crore, is in the final phase. Five mobile planetariums are moving across the state and seven more would be launched in the days to come.
‘We started work, not BJP’
Hitting back at the former Mangaluru City South MLA N. Yogish Bhat who had said that the BJP Government’s work in construction of planetarium had not been acknowledged, Minister for Science and Technology M.R. Seetharam said that it was the Congress government that started the construction work on the Swami Vivekananda Planetarium.
“During the BJP rule the project was only on paper. It is during our government’s rule that the construction started. I am really surprised with his statement,” Mr. Seetharam said. The government had sanctioned Rs. 24 crore that led to the floating of tenders in 2014. A further grant of about Rs. 12 crore was also given, he said.
Mangaluru City South MLA J.R. Lobo acknowledged the help of Mr. Bhat in getting sanction for Rs. 8 crore from the BJP government following the approval given in 2008 to the proposal by Shivaram Karanth Pilikula Nisargadhama for building the planetarium.
When pointed at the allegation that the organisers have removed the plaque related to the laying of the foundation stone for the planetarium by the then Chief Minister Jagadish Shetter, Mr. Lobo said, “There is no question of removing any plaque when there is nothing of that sort here.”
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