LIGO India gets go-ahead from MOEFCC for Hingoli land

PUNE: NP NEWS 24 ONLINE- The LIGO-India (Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory) mega-science project has achieved a critical milestone at the turn of the year when it was given the go-ahead by MOEFCC for the 121.83 hectares of diversion of barren forestland required for its construction in the Hingoli district of Maharashtra.

MP Anil Shirole had given personal attention and followup for this cause at many critical junctures during the acquisition process, including direct access to Harsha Vardhan, Minister of Science & Technology and Environment and other senior functionaries.

The Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics  (IUCAA), together with its partnering lead institutions DCSEM, IPR and RRCAT, led an extensive search all over the country over 5 year to identify the ideal site that met the stringent scientific and technical requirements of hosting the an ultra-sensitive advance gravitational wave detector. IUCAA remained closely involved expediting in the site acquisition.