Pune: Villagers from Khodad in Junnar Taluka met with the administration of the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) project on July 18, to demand priority for local youth in the upcoming recruitment for 37 various positions.
The GMRT, a significant central government project, has acquired around 500 acres of farmland from Khodad for its establishment.
The recruitment, scheduled for July 21, has prompted villagers to request that the GMRT administration give priority to landless youth from Khodad.
The villagers' delegation, including village head Manisha Gulve, deputy village head Ravindra Mule, and other local officials, held discussions with NCRA-GMRT project center director Yashwant Gupta, GMRT dean Ishwar Chandra, and GMRT administrative officer Abhijit Jondhale.
During the meeting, the villagers demanded an extension of the application deadline, arguing that locals had insufficient time to apply.
They also emphasized prioritizing the children of project-affected families in the recruitment process. The GMRT administration reassured the villagers of their positive stance towards local employment and confirmed that 100 per cent of current contract workers are from Khodad and Narayangaon areas.
The administration promised to continue communication with the villagers and assured that their sentiments would be conveyed to the Department of Atomic Energy.
They committed to conducting permanent recruitment according to central government regulations, ensuring long-term development in collaboration with the local community.
Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope, in 2017, had been successful in understanding what exactly happened when two neutron stars collided, creating the gravitational wave noted during the LIGO-Virgo experiment in August this year.
For the first time, gravitational waves from a neutron star merger were detected and the electromagnetic counterpart from this merger has been detected. In this historical feat, a proud moment for Indian astronomy, GMRT had the credit to detect it at the lowest frequency ever.