T'puram to get geological, marine museums

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A geological museum and marine museum on Kariavattom campus and a Centre for Student Placement on Palayam University campus, apart from a big-time plan to promote academic tourism, are some of the many proposals the district gains from the Kerala University budget for 2012-13 presented at the Senate meeting on Wednesday. The budget presented by Syndicate member B S Jyotikumar has set aside Rs one crore each to set up the museums on Kariavattom campus. Though the University had initially thought of starting the marine museum at Akkulam, where it has acquired some land, difficulties in getting through with the licence of the local body has led the officials to zero in on Kariavattom for the purpose. ‘’However, what to do for the seawater for the marine museum is a question for which we would hold discussions with experts in the field,’’ Jyotikumar said.  The University Library and Kariavattom campus would be linked through optical fibre cable. Touch-screens would be put up at Information Centres of the University. The Palayam and Kariavattom campuses would get hi-mast lights. To provide campus placements for eligible students, a Centre for Student Placement would be started. At the Publication Wing of the University, curios embellished with the emblem and name of the University would be sold.  The budget has set aside ` 3 crore for digitising University documents. The hostel construction at Kariavattom has been given ` one crore and ` 25 lakh has been set aside for the platinum jubilee celebrations of the University that will kick off this month.  The renovation of Senate Hall has been allotted ` one crore.  A similar amount has been set aside for the front office complex. A science block will come up on Kariavattom campus, for which ` 2 crore has been earmarked. With the financial assistance of the government, the University library will go in for an expansion at ` 2 crore. HIGHLIGHTS*    Geological museum and marine museum on Kariavattom campus - ` 2 crore*    University Library and Kariavattom campus to be linked through OFC.*    Renovation of Senate Hall - ` one crore.*    Science block to come up at ` 2 crore.*    Digitisation of University documents - First instalment, ` 3 crore.*    Platinum jubilee celebrations - ` 25 lakh.*    Hostel construction at Kariavattom - ` one crore.