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36655
Sat, 12/20/2008 - 08:27
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TN village chosen for setting up Neutrino Observatory:Kakodkar
Chennai, Dec 19 (PTI) Pushep, a small village in the Nilgiris hills in southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, has been chosen as the "best location" to set up a Neutrino Observatory (INO), an underground detector to test particles, Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar said Friday.
An expert group of the INO selected Pushep located
near Udhagamandalam (Ooty), said the atomic official, who met
Chief Minister for the state's approval for the observatory,
adding that he supported the DMK leader's view that that the
people living in the area had to be taken into confidence.
"The advantage of that place is that it has all the
geographical features and is ecologically best... it has an
existing road," he said.
"It does not affect anything and we are even aware of
the elephant corridor nearby.., but our assessment is that the
traffic required is insignificant," even though there is lot
of tourist activity, he said.
To set up a neutrino detector, essential geographical
requirements are a 360 degree curve, rock-mass for at least a
km, mountain feature which was at least a km or km and a half
tall, little or no gorge area among others, and these were
found here, he said.
"The expert group of INO, which is multi-
institutional, has gone through various sites and as per their
conclusion this is the best location to set up an underground
detector," Kakodkar said.
The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) funded project
also had the Department of Science and Technology (DST) as one
of the stakeholders, he said.
According to details posted on INO and related
websites, neutrino is the "least understood" particles in
nature and scientists have overwhelmingly supported Pushep as
the ideal place to locate the underground wokshop for studying
it.
Kakodkar Thursday met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister
Karunanidhi and sought his support for the project.
Kakodkar said the chief minister had told him it was
an "imporant project which he supports."
It is learnt that while Karunanidhi was told by
Kakodkar about the importance of the facility for scientists,
the Chief Minister said that people living in the area had to
be taken into confidence as their consent was important.
"Yes. We have to take everybody on board.. he is
correct," Kakodkar said.
However, if there was a better site,that could also
be considered, he said. PTI SNR
An expert group of the INO selected Pushep located
near Udhagamandalam (Ooty), said the atomic official, who met
Chief Minister for the state's approval for the observatory,
adding that he supported the DMK leader's view that that the
people living in the area had to be taken into confidence.
"The advantage of that place is that it has all the
geographical features and is ecologically best... it has an
existing road," he said.
"It does not affect anything and we are even aware of
the elephant corridor nearby.., but our assessment is that the
traffic required is insignificant," even though there is lot
of tourist activity, he said.
To set up a neutrino detector, essential geographical
requirements are a 360 degree curve, rock-mass for at least a
km, mountain feature which was at least a km or km and a half
tall, little or no gorge area among others, and these were
found here, he said.
"The expert group of INO, which is multi-
institutional, has gone through various sites and as per their
conclusion this is the best location to set up an underground
detector," Kakodkar said.
The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) funded project
also had the Department of Science and Technology (DST) as one
of the stakeholders, he said.
According to details posted on INO and related
websites, neutrino is the "least understood" particles in
nature and scientists have overwhelmingly supported Pushep as
the ideal place to locate the underground wokshop for studying
it.
Kakodkar Thursday met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister
Karunanidhi and sought his support for the project.
Kakodkar said the chief minister had told him it was
an "imporant project which he supports."
It is learnt that while Karunanidhi was told by
Kakodkar about the importance of the facility for scientists,
the Chief Minister said that people living in the area had to
be taken into confidence as their consent was important.
"Yes. We have to take everybody on board.. he is
correct," Kakodkar said.
However, if there was a better site,that could also
be considered, he said. PTI SNR
