Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)
Mangalore, Sep 13: "The much-awaited Pilikula Regional Science Center which was constructed at a cost of Rs 11.5 crore will start functioning from next month. Chief minister Siddaramaiah and union minister for culture and tourism Shripad Yasso Naik will inaugurate the Regional Science Center," said S R Patil, state minister for planning and statistics, IT, BT, science and technology.
He was addressing reporters at Dr Shivaram Karanth Pilikula Nisargadhama auditorium in Pilikula here on Saturday September 13.
"Pilikula will also get a 3D digital planetarium; this will be the first 3D digital planetarium in entire Asia. The work has already begun. We plan to finish the work in one year. This will be a unique planetarium and different from Bangalore's Jahawarlal Nehru planetarium," he added.
He also said that there is a need to cultivate a scientific mindset among people, especially among students of the region; and also to propogate the concept of science among the students of rural areas by introducing inventions and research to improve their reasoning ability.
"The center has been built at a cost of Rs 11.5 crore and is now ready for functioning. The government has planned to start another regional science center in Mysore and sub-regional science centers in ten districts, but the union government has refused to provide finacial assistance. But now the state government has planned to set up sub-regional science centers at a cost of Rs 3.6 crore each in all the districts at the rate of two centers per year. One regional science center is already functioning in Dharwad, built at a cost of Rs 10.50 crore," he said.
"This will help to abolish all types of superstitions and promote scientific thinking. Students will be encouraged to invent and research," he concluded.
J R Lobo said that activities scheduled will be prepared as per the calender, and workshops, training programmes for children, students and for public will be undertaken.
MLA Mohiuddin Bawa, MLC Ivan D'Souza, executive director of Dr Shivaram Karanth Pilikula Nisargadhama A Prabhakar Sharma, K V Rao, J P Bhandary from Pilikula Biological Park were present.