In strife-torn Assam countryside, a unique experiment in science popularisation will soon get underway. A 75-acre 'science village' the first of its kind in India is being set up in rural Jamugurihat, about 250 km from Guwahati, where rural folk will get an exciting peek into the wonders of science.
Gramya Jana Bigyan Mancha (GJBM), an NGO engaged in spreading scientific awareness, is executing the project at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore. The science village will have a planetarium, botanical garden, heritage park, a wetland project, bird sanctuary, aquarium, science museum, library, auditorium, children's park and a laboratory. The land has already been bought and the village is scheduled to open by the end of this year, when the first phase gets completed. The NGO says it is raising money on its own to bear the entire expenditure of the project. Says Kshiradhar Baruah, president, GJBM and national award winner for popularisation of science, "The project seeks to enhance awareness, literacy and outlook of these people, specifically with respect to science. It will also contribute towards employment opportunities, research work, eco-tourism and recreational activities. The brain behind the project is Radhika Mohan Bhagawati, a journalist at whose behest scientist Dinesh Chandra Goswami prepared the project for GJBM. The NGO later roped in P M Bhargava, deputy chairman, National Knowledge Commission and Professor Yashpal, former chairman, University Grants Commission, for technical support in executing the project. The NGO is in talks to involve more well-known scientists for conceptualising individual sections of the village. "We aim to propagate scientific temperament in the remotest regions of the country. The first project of its kind in India, if successful, it will serve as major boon for the rural populace who are still victims of non-scientific and irrational practices," Bhargava said. GJBM members say the village will be constructed in phases. In the first phase, a mid-sized planetarium and a botanical garden will come up. The botanical garden, which will showcase various medicinal and commercial plants besides other important indigenous flora, would alone cost Rs 50 lakh. For the second phase, Rs 2 crore has been earmarked for the science museum, heritage park, library, auditorium, aquaria, laboratory and children's park. Another Rs 50 lakh will be spent on setting up the wetland and bird sanctuary. The NGO has not set any timeframe for actual completion of the entire project. According to Bhargava, the village will provide a good environment for scientists from India and abroad to pursue research work in various disciplines. On how such a not-for-profit project will sustain itself, the NGO is optimistic that its eco-tourism and recreational activities will help raise the maintenance cost. According to Bhargava, if everything goes as planned the village would be a big attraction for tourists coming to North-East and also for self-financing research projects. KOUSHIK HAZARIKA www.asom.co.nr
