Bhubaneswar: The state government will provide 75 acre of land for establishment of Bay of Bengal Coastal Observatory in Ganjam, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said here Friday.
“The Orissa government has taken the initiative to allot 75 acre land for establishment of Bay of Bengal Coastal Observatory,” Patnaik said during the foundation day of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bhubaneswar (IIT-BBS). “This will help people of the state to get advanced information on natural calamities like tsunami and cyclones,” he added.
The coastal observatory will be the first-of-its-kind in the country, he said, adding the Union ministry of earth sciences is also involved in the project.
Expressing his pleasure over Bhubaneswar topping the Smart City race in the country he said, “We expect a lot of involvement of IIT-BBS in research and development on a real-time basis.”
Stating that the National Institute of New Energy under Union ministry of new and renewable energy will be established near the IIT-Bhubaneswar, the CM said, “I will be happy to see a lot of collaboration with the institute to build up a new culture of zero energy campus.”
The state government has entered into an agreement with IIT-BBS for developing ‘Rural Road Technology’ through Project Centre of Management, Training and Research on Rural Roads, he added.
The CM also stated that IIT-BBS has taken an initiative to promote entrepreneurship with establishment of an entrepreneurship park, wherein the B-Tech students can take part and look forward to innovations.
Stating that legendary leader Biju Patnaik had instituted the Unesco-Kalinga Award for popularisation of science and scientific temper, the chief minister said, “The IIT is paying a humble tribute to the vision of the great soul by dedicating itself to the cause of science in his birth centenary year.”
Patnaik noted that professor Mashelkar of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research has professed that in the 21st century would will turn to India for three things – digital, spiritual and herbal and said”It is time that we took advantage of our unique selling points on these three fields and take them to higher level of excellence.” PNN