Indian Antarctic Bill has been approved: A draft law has been approved by the Union Cabinet of India to provide a regulatory framework for India’s research activities in Antarctica and protect the continent’s environment. (Indian Antarctic Bill has been approved)
main point – Indian Antarctic Bill has been approved
- The Ministry of Earth Sciences has administered the Indian Antarctica Bill.
- The bill helped to fulfill the nation’s obligations under the 1982 Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, the 1959 Antarctic Treaty and the 1998 Protocol on Environmental Protection for the Antarctic have hope.
- This bill is going to be introduced in the budget session of Parliament.
- India’s Antarctic program began in 1981 and since then 40 scientific expeditions have been completed.
- India has also built three bases on the continent.
India’s base stations in Antarctica
As of now, India has two fully functional base stations in Antarctica named Maitri (established in 1988) and Bharati (established in 2012). Another base named Dakshin Gangotri was established in 1983, but it is not functional at present.
There are plans to set up another base which will replace Maitree as it has passed its long term. Friendship Base needs to be replaced as soon as possible as international committees have said that it is no longer eco-friendly
