New Delhi: On Friday i.e. February 24, 2011, the Union Minister for Science, Technology and Earth Sciences, Mr. Pawan Kumar Bansal said that the government will establish an India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO). Further, he informed that INO will be established jointly by the Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Science and Technology.
Further, Mr. Bansal told the sources that a site in Bodi West Hills near T. Pudukottai village of Theni district, Tamil Nadu has been identified as a suitable location. An official press release told the sources that the project includes construction of a world-class underground laboratory under a rock cover of 1200 meter from all directions.
Furthermore, the release informed that the laboratory (underground) will be accessed by 7.5 meter wide tunnel of approximately two km in length. The primary goal of INO is to study neutrino properties, the release added. In addition, the release said that determination of neutrino properties is one of the most significant open problems in physics today.
As per sources, most of the construction work of the project will be done under the earth's surface. Further, sources informed that the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), located in Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu), has prepared the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report for the project.
