Nine science museums to come up soon, Dharwad one among them

Nine science museums to come up soon, Dharwad one among them

PTI STAFF WRITER Jan 8 2010, 21:33 HRS IST

New Delhi: Nine new science museums will come up across different states in the country by 2012 in cities like Ranchi, Raipur and Dharwad, with at least three of them expected to go operational this year.

The National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), the autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Culture, which currently manages 27 centres across India is engaged in spreading out to other major cities.

While the regional Science Centre in Ranchi and Raipur is likely to open this year, work at four others at Dharwad, Coimbatore, Jaipur and Mangalore is expected to complete by next year, an official statement said today.

It said the work on the Solapur sub-regional science centre in Maharashtra is already complete, and that on Pimpri Chinchwad centre and Jorhat in Assam is expected to be complete by 2012 and 2013 respectively.

CM to meet PM on water project

CM to meet PM on water project

Press Trust Of India / Chennai/ Bangalore January 1, 2010, 0:24 IST

BANGALORE: Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa will lead an all-party delegation to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on January 13 seeking his intervention to withdraw the revocation order on the Kalasa-Bandori Nala drinking water project.

A decision to this effect was taken at an all party meeting convened by Yeddyurappa to finalise the state's stand on the Mahadayi river diversion project utilising 7.26 tmc ft out of the state's entitlement of 45 tmc ft of water.

Speaking to reporters, Yeddyurappa said the meeting was of the view that the objection being raised by Goa to the project, which “posed no environmental problems, has no substance.”

The meeting also decided to request the Centre not to go ahead with its plan to set up a tribunal to adjudicate the sharing of Mahadayi river between Karnataka, Goa and Maharastra.

There is about 200 tmc ft yield in the Mahadayi catchment areas and none of the riparian states have been using it now, Yeddyurappa said.

Karnataka has proposed to take up the Kalasa Bandori nala project to provide drinking water to water-starved cities of Hubli-Dharwad and surrounding villages. The Centre accorded approval for the project on April 30, 2002 but it was revoked in the face of protests from Goa

Happy New Year 2010 to all Readers

Wishing Happy New Year 2010 to all Readers

I author of the blog hublidharwadbuzz(formerly buzzpappu) wishes all its readers a very happy and prosperous new year 2010.

May the new year bring peace and happiness in abundance to you and your family.

Hubli-Ankola railway line in a limbo

Hubli-Ankola railway line in a limbo

TNN 29 December 2009, 10:27pm IST

HUBLI: The state government will have to provide a very strong argument in favour of building the Hubli-Ankola railway link if it wants the Union forest ministry to clear the project, a senior forest officer said here on Monday.

Dr P B Gangopadhyaya, additional director general of forests, who headed a team that inspected forest areas meant to be cleared for building the railway line, told MP Prahlad Joshi that the forest ministry was open-minded about the project.

"All these years, it has been straight and simple. The project was not cleared as it would damage trees and wildlife in one of the most pristine ecosystems in the country," Gangopadhyaya said.

According to him, the state government and the railways' only argument was that it would help carry iron ore to the Tadadi, Bilikere and Karwar ports. But this was not convincing as market fluctuations can push down the demand for ore in international markets.

"However, if the state government makes other, stronger arguments like it'll help developing backward areas in the state, then the ministry of environment and forests and the Supreme Court centrally empowered committee that are looking into the issue would take a balanced view of the issue, he said.

He welcomed Joshi's idea that building a railway line and diverting traffic and freight transport on to the line would cause less environment damage than doubling national highways in Karwar district. He asked state government and railway officials to record these facts in an affidavit before the apex court and back them by supporting documents.

The project was planned a decade ago. However, it was rejected by the forest ministry four times in the past. Later in 2007, environmentalists challenged the project, saying it would destroy large-green patches in the western ghats, one of the bio-diversity hotspots in the world.

The SC has now referred the matter to a centrally-empowered committee. The CEC is supposed to inspect the project very soon.