Guwahati Planetarium

Sept. 13: A project to set up an astronomy gallery on Guwahati Planetarium premises is tied up in red tape even a year after the state science and technology department had sanctioned funds for it.

Apparently a procedural conflict between Dispur and the National Council of Science Museums is what has led to the dilly-dally though funds amounting to Rs 65 lakh are lying “idle” in the coffers of the secretariat administrative department (accounts) for over a year now.

According to government norms, once funds for a particular project get sanctioned, tenders are floated to select a firm for its execution. However, in regard to science museums or planetariums and their upgrade, it is the council which is the sole authority for carrying out the job.

The council, the world’s largest network of science centres/museums under a single administrative umbrella, wants the entire project amo-unt in advance which also go-es against Dispur’s protocol.

Planetarium authorities, however, are hopeful of a special consideration from the science and technology department and release of the funds at the earliest.

“The council wants total advance payment for executing the project which goes against the government norms. About two months back, I had written to the science and technology department about a special consideration in the interest of astronomy lovers, particularly students. So we are awaiting a go-ahead from the department after which I will waste no time to ink a pact with the council in regard to execution of the project,” director, Guwahati Planetarium, H.C. Dutta, said. “Once the funds are released, the project should be completed within a year.”

Apart from the astronomy gallery which would cost Rs 38 lakh, the project also includes a Rs 5.5-lakh mobile planetarium and an astro-van costing Rs 21.9 lakh.

“The gallery will have various models and displays that would shed light on astronomy, its evolution, phases and other aspects. The mobile planetarium will be in the form of an inflatable, portable dome, while the astro-van will have a telescope fitted to it. Both are part of our outreach programme — be it to show a special celestial event in schools or in remote areas of the state,” an official at the planetarium said.

A sophisticated telescope, too, is in the pipeline. “We had requested the science and technology department for procurement of a sophisticated telescope with 14-inch aperture last year. Hopefully, we will get it by the end of the financial year,” the official added.

The planetarium currently has an average footfall of 650 people a day during season time (in June-July and December-January). “The footfalls have increased over the years. A Japanese hybrid projection system installed in February last year at a cost of Rs 5 crore, has already made a difference, both in terms of the quality of the shows and footfall. Last year, we could deposit Rs 28 lakh as revenue in the government exchequer,” Dutta said.