Mangaluru : The government will constitute an authority for the management and development of the Dr. Shivaram Karanth Pilikula Nisargadhama, according to M.R. Seetharam, Minister for Science and Technology, Planning, Programme Monitoring and Statistics.

Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, the Minister said that the Department of Science and Technology has forwarded a proposal on the same to the Law Department which it would later move to the Cabinet. The proposal would be tabled either in the brief October Session of the Legislative Assembly or in the Winter Session of the Assembly for final approval.

Once the authority is in place, there would be a chief executive officer for the overall management and development of tourist facilities in the nisargadhama.

J.R. Lobo, MLA, Mangaluru City South, and former executive director of the nisargadhama said that the government has released Rs 5 crores for upgrading the road from Vamanjoor Junction to the entrance of the nisargadhama as a four-lane concrete road.

In addition, the government has released Rs 2 crores for developing the roads inside the nisargadhama. The government has released Rs 1 crore to upgrade the entrance to the nisargadhama.

Mr. Lobo said that the government has proposed to set up a ‘matsyalaya’ in the nisargadhama at a cost of Rs 15 crore. But it would require at least Rs 25 crore to set up the state of the art ‘matyalaya’.

Mr. Seetharam said that the 3D planetarium being built at the nisargadhama would be commissioned by December.

It would be the country’s first 3D planetarium and the world’s 21st advanced planetarium. It would use hybrid technology and an 8K projector system. The Minister said that the planetarium costing about Rs 36 crore would be inaugurated by organising an international science conference. It would have a 3D theatre where 180 persons could watch science shows at a time.

He said the government was taking steps for the sanction and recruitment of technical personnel needed to manage the planetarium.

A documentary titled Karnataka Darshana was being prepared now to highlight the art, culture, music and literature of the State. It would be screened before the science shows in the planetarium.