STATE TIMES NEWS
NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha today passed “Indian Antarctica Bill 2022” moved by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, amid opposition din.
The Bill aims at having India’s own national measures for protecting the Antarctic environment as also the dependent and associated ecosystem. After the Bill was passed by Lok Sabha on 22nd July, it was cleared by Rajya Sabha on Monday after it was moved by Minister of Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh.
Speaking about the Bill, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the bill is in pursuant to India’s accession to Antarctic Treaty, the Protocol on Environment Protection (Madrid Protocol) to the Antarctic Treaty and to the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.
Dr Jitendra pointed out that the main aim of the Bill is also to ensure de-militarization of the region along with getting it rid of mining or illegal activities. It also aims that there should not be any nuclear test / explosion in the region.
He pointed out that the Bill provides a harmonious policy and regulatory framework for India’s Antarctic activities through well-established legal mechanisms and will help in efficient and elective operations of Indian Antarctic Programme.
It will also facilitate India’s interest and pro-active involvement in the management of growing Antarctic tourism and sustainable development of fisheries resources in Antarctic waters. It will also help in increased international visibility, credibility of India in Polar governance leading to international collaboration and cooperation in scientific and logistics fields.
India today has two operational research stations in Antarctica named Maitri (Commissioned in 1989) and Bharati (Commissioned in 2012). India has successfully launched 40 annual scientific expeditions to Antarctica till date. With Himadri station in Ny-Alesund, Svalbard, Arctic, India now belongs to the elite group of nations that have multiple research stations within the Polar Regions.