With the aim to discuss the setting up of a neutrino observatory in the State, Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar called on the Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Thursday.

Mr. Kakodhar said, “I came here to seek the consent and approval from the Chief Minister for setting up the India-based Neutrino Observatory.”

Since 2000, the members of the high energy and nuclear physics community in India have been discussing the setting up of the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) to study the atmospheric neutrinos.

The observatory is a pure-science underground laboratory, if adhered to the INO website, hosted by the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai. The website also says, “Its primary goal is to study the properties and interactions of weakly interacting, naturally occurring particles called neutrinos. There is a worldwide interest in this field due to its implications for several diverse and allied fields such as particle physics, cosmology and the origin of the universe, energy production mechanisms in the sun and other stars.”

A spot in The Nilgiris, has been selected by the commission since some infrastructure (tunnels) is already there and it is two km from the Pykara TNEB camp and 1300 metres beneath the mountain named INO Peak (2207 m).

“State government has given in-principle approval for locating the project at Singara near Masinagudi, pending statutory clearance. The project has been given environmental clearance by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests,” says the web site.