In the wake of two suspected meteorite falls in Vellore district in the last fortnight, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has written to the State government seeking a direction to all District Collectors that any such cases be reported to GSI and any finds handed over, as it was the only nodal agency authorised to possess and carry out research on meteorites in the country.
“We came across media reports about the two incidents – one on January 26 and another on February 6. Though it is officially not established whether they were cases of meteorites falling, we are not aware who is in possession of the items now. As GSI is the nodal agency in the country, the respective district administration should alert and hand it over to us,” GSI’s Deputy Director-General S. Raju tol The Hindu . Pointing out a specific pattern in such cases of meteorites falling in the State, he said suspected meteorite cases have been reported mostly in Vellore and Dharmapuri districts.
“In 2008, a 105-kg meteorite fall was reported in Sulagiri near Krishnagiri; the piece is in the GSI gallery in Kolkata now.”
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