Research on neutrino particle would be path breaking in the field of science and will help in knowing more about the universe, said scientists from across the country who had assembled for a public outreach programme to address queries and concerns about the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) here on Friday.

The INO is set to come up on the hills near Thevaram in Theni district and will have a 50,000-tonne magnetic detector to study neutrinos that are significant in particle physics.

Addressing the media on the sidelines of the programme, Naba K. Mondal, senior researcher at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, and spokesperson for the INO project, said the project would not cause damage to the environment.

“There are many misconceptions that neutrino will harm the environment and cause health concerns to the people who live nearby. Waste will not be dumped near the observatory site,” Mr. Mondal said.

“The project site was chosen since the neutrino particles can be detected deep underground and the area was free of vegetation and animals,” he added.

Dispelling concerns about the fact that the Department of Atomic Energy(DAE) is funding the project, Mr. Mondal further stated that the DAE had been extensively involved in research in varied branches of science in the country.

G. Rajasekaran, retired professor from the Indian Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IIMSc), said the establishment of the INO would contribute impressively to research particle physics. “Successful research would be a huge stepping stone for the scientific community in the country and will lead to more innovations,” he said.

In a statement released by the scientists involved in the INO project, they said that it would help educational institutions since students, teachers and academic scholars could study and research the particle better.

“A number of scientists from across the world will also constantly visit the facility and the institutions in the district can benefit from their expertise and interact with them,” they stated.