Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat unveiled the foundation stone for Science City at Vigyan Dham here on Sunday morning. The Government of India has sanctioned a sum of Rs 134 crore for this project.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that the construction of the Science City will be completed in the near future.

He said that this area had been chosen to build the science city also because there are various educational institutions in the surrounding areas. Stating that students from various parts of India study in institutions in the area, he said it was like an education hub. Rawat opined that after completion, the science city would become a major centre of attraction.

Various scientific activities will be held here after the facility is constructed. This will inspire the younger generation to indulge in scientific and innovative activities. This centre of science would turn out to be a centre of inspiration also for the younger generation, opined the Chief Minister. Rawat further recalled that during 2005, he had visited Gujarat when the science city there was being constructed. At that time he had been inspired and thought of a science city in Uttarakhand too.

Stating that he was fortunate to be laying the foundation stone for the construction of the science city in Dehradun, the chief minister said that this would be the fifth science city in the nation.

Rawat further said that resolving water-related issues is one of the top priorities of the State Government.The Government has set a target of facilitating gravity based water supply for about 60 per cent of Dehradun’s population in the coming three years.

The Saung dam will also be helpful in addressing the issue of water level for the next 50 years. The Government has set a target of completing the work on this dam in 350 days after its construction is started. This dam will help save electricity amounting to more than Rs one crore per year.

This electricity will be put to use for other works. In addition to this project, gravity based water supply is also planned for Haldwani city from the Jamrani dam with the prime minister Narendra Modi also being made aware of this plan. The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has also accorded its permission for the multi-purpose Jamrani dam.

Rawat said that the state cabinet had also taken a decision as a result of which gravity-based water supply will be facilitated from the Pancheshwar dam to the entire Udham Singh Nagar district.

Local MLA Sahdev Singh Pundeer said that construction of the science city will encourage children and youth to become involved in scientific research and experiments.

Science and technology secretary RK Sudhanshu, Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology (UCOST) director general Rajendra Dobhal and principal chief conservator of forests Jai Raj were also among those present on the occasion.