he Planet Earth pavilion aims to highlight the exquisite beauty and abundant truths of our planet earth and also to bring an awareness of the nature of natural disasters like earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides etc.

The pavilion will be built up with two sections. The first part titled as “Dynamic Earth” will be spread over an area of 2500 sq m while the second part will be called as “A Cradle of Life” dealing with resources of the earth and will be constructed over 1500 sq m.

GCSC developed the detailed proposal for the above pavilion and the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA) has approved a financial assistance of Rs.15.4 crore for the Dynamic Earth part of the above pavilion.

Conceptualization of the pavilion is over; design for the entire hall is completed. The civil work of the building is just to start. The technical design of the necessary exhibits and models are in the progress

The ground braking ceremony was performed by Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat on 29th October 2004. The civil construction work has already been started and it will be complete by January 2006. The Asian Development Bank has providing the financial assistance through the Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority (GSDMA) for the development of the above pavilion.

The main objective of the Pavilion is:

• To aware, educate and train the people about various types of natural disasters like earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides etc and to highlight the exquisite beauty and abundant truths of our planet earth.
• To educate the people on the natural resources and their conservation. Highlighting the sobering fact that the Planet Earth is in jeopardy, while our resources are being depleted and the very fabric, balance and stability are being threatened.
• To highlight the need for disaster management and preparedness for the natural disasters and to update the people on the technology used for detecting and studying earthquakes, cyclones, landslides and the related research activities.

The important feature includes:

• The Pavilion is being constructed over an area of 9000 sq.m hexagonal grid pattern with a unique dome structure having 50-meter diameter, in fact one of the largest domes in India.
• The Planet Earth will depict the live experiences of various natural disasters, disaster management with various hands-on and minds-on exhibits and activities.
• The main section of the Planet Earth pavilion includes (i) the celestial trio (Sun, earth and moon), (ii) The dynamic Earth, (iii) Resources of the Earth, (iv) The Planet Ocean, (v) Water, the fountain of life, (vi) The Atmosphere, and (v) children’s activity area
• Each section, individually, designed to have sufficient number of exhibits to justify its importance and its relevance for public understanding and interaction.
• Inside the Dynamic Earth Section there is a provision of Earthquake Demonstration corner -- An earthquake platform on a hydraulic simulator, suitable for 15-20 visitors, giving a life-like experience of random tremors of earthquakes. A video projection will indicate the intensity in Richter scale, the location of the epicentre, secondary tremors and destruction caused by the earthquake.
• The Resources of Earth Section will take the visitors to the interior of the earth – a simulated elevator ride to the deep interior of the earth – taking visitors to a faithfully recreated underground coal mine, showing coal seams, long-wall and short-wall coal cutting, gathering and transportation, mine supports, sand stowing, dewatering, and safety devices. There are also surrounding exhibits on petroleum, geo-thermal energy, nuclear power plant, and collective display of gems, minerals, corals, pearls, sea nodules, and planktuns.
• The section on Atmosphere will be furnished with animated exhibit showing earth’s atmosphere displaying various layers, their heights, composition and the way these layers are beneficial to us, the chemistry of air and its related experimentations.