Bengaluru: Institute of Indian Astrophysics (IIA), a Premier Institute headquartered in Bengaluru, along with the government is developing a community-based Astro-Tourism plan in Hanle in Ladakh which aims to achieve the dual purpose of sustainable development led by the community and astrophysical population.
Iia Director Prof.
Annapurni Subramanian met Ladakh lt RK Governor Mathur to discuss the plan on Tuesday.
Among the things discussed between Annapurni, Mathur and Dorje Angchuk, engineers are responsible for the Indian Astronomy Observatory, Hanle, which is operated by IIA, is the development of the Astro-Tourism project, combining homesting for sustainable development at the grassroots level, providing training Course certification to locals for these projects.
“We are still at the very beginning of the discussion stage with various stakeholders.
We will have something more concrete in a few months.
The idea is to involve the local community to establish facilities and preserve the night sky,” Annapurni told Toi after the meeting.
IIA has installed a proposal to declare the area as a dark night protection place where a person can do astro-tourism and develop the local community to be independent through it.
“The beauty of the sky – remember the height and atmosphere there – magical in Hanle.
Unmatched.
We want to preserve it by controlling light pollution and we also see wildlife reserves because wildlife will also have an impact,” Annapurni said.
There is’ Astrostways onstama, the iia proposal will provide tourism astro-tourism in the region with government support, the International Astronomy Office (IAU) (OAD), which focuses on the use of astronomy / astrophysics as a tool for further.
SGD (sustainable development objectives) and the Global Himalayan (GHE) expedition, social impact companies, have run ‘Astrostays’ in the region.
Sonal Asgotraa, Project Lead, Astrostways, told Toi: “Globally when they talk about Astro-Tourism always spin only around astronomy.
We want to see Astro-tourism that utilizes human attractiveness against astronomy and space to produce sustainable livelihoods For the community.
We sent a proposal to OAD IAU in 2018 and the first Astrostay was born in Lake Pangong in 2019.
“He said that the response from the local population – which was the key because there were no other models like this in the world – very large.
Astrostaways, apart from sky currents and other astrophysics and astronomical activities also offer local factories involving the community.
He added that there were six astostays that were operated now.
“The community has earned around $ 20,000 only from accommodation and we have more than 400 people attending an astronomical session, which has created more than $ 2,000 income,” said Sonal.