No land yet for Rs 6,000cr SINP project

The Times of India: No land yet for Rs 6,000cr SINP project
KOLKATA: The clock is ticking away on a Rs 6,000 crore project mooted by the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (SINP) in Kolkata. A third generation high-energy synchrotron - which would aid cutting-edge research and would be only the fifth of its kind in the world - could hit a roadblock if land can't be identified soon. Even though SINP director Milan K Sanyal has written to chief minister Mamata Banerjee twice, asking for land allotment, the state government is yet to get back to the institute. The latter, however, has been told to buy the land when it is offered to them.

A list of probable locations will have to be sent to the Planning Commission soon. "I have written to Mamata Banerjee for a plot which is less than an hour's drive from Kolkata. This is necessary, for SINP scientists will be working at the project site and they will have to commute frequently between Kolkata and the new centre. We were asked to furnish further details on the project which has been done. Now, we are waiting to hear from the government," said Sanyal.

To be set up by the SINP under the stewardship of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), the Rs 6,000 crore project will facilitate futuristic research on material science, crystallography and nano-technology, catapulting India to the big league of scientifically advanced nations. The SINP has sought a 200-acre plot within the periphery of Kolkata and sought 20 MW of electricity for the synchrotron.

The SINP is keeping its fingers crossed, for the IISC, Bangalore has also pitched in for the project. They already have a plot of land at their disposal. Since the site of the project is yet to be finalized at the government-level, Bengal could lose the synchrotron if it fails to identify a land.

Earlier this month, Sanyal met state finance minister Amit Mitra and discussed the project. The minister asked Sanyal to be ready to purchase the land.

"We are prepared to buy land for we have got money allocated for it. All we need is a quick identification of the plot," said Sanyal.

The issue could come up at a meeting of a committee set up to oversee such projects scheduled in Delhi later this week. While Sanyal will attend the meeting, he was not sure if the synchrotron project would be discussed. "There are several other important projects on the agenda. In any case, there's little to be discussed about the synchrotron project unless we het the land," added Sanyal.

SINP has recently signed an agreement with Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY) of Germany for access to its Petra III facility - the world's most advanced synchrotron - in Hamburg.

This will help SINP build capacity for the mammoth project which has been planned in Kolkata. It will also provide exposure to Indian scientists who haven't worked at such a large facility, it was felt.

"It had been declared that we need to freeze a location by end-July. Hopefully, that deadline has been relaxed or else we will lose the project," said a senior SINP researcher.

The SINP director, on the other hand, said there was no deadline. "No date has been set but the sooner we get the land the better," said Sanyal.