40 yrs after treaty, Antarctic Bill introduced in LS

40 yrs after treaty, Antarctic Bill introduced in LS

Subject: Geography

Section: Climate

Context: Nearly 40 years after India first signed the Antarctic Treaty, the government has brought in a draft Indian Antarctic Bill-2022 to regulate and monitor activities at its research stations in the frozen continent.

Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022

Objectives

• To provide for national measures to protect the Antarctic environment and associated ecosystems and to give effect to the Antarctic Treaty
• To provide a harmonious policy framework for India’s Antarctic activities through a well-established legal mechanism
• Facilitate activities of the Indian Antarctic programme, including management of Antarctic tourism and sustainable development of fisheries
• To prohibit Indian expedition to Antarctica or carrying of certain activities in Antarctica without a permit or the written authorization of another party to the protocol
• To provide for inspection in India by an officer designated by the Central government as an Inspector and to constitute an inspection team to carry out inspections in Antarctica

Key feature

• It will empower the government to establish a committee on Antarctic governance and environmental protection to monitor, implement and ensure compliance with the relevant international laws, emissions standards and rules of protection.
• The panel is to be headed by the secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, as ex officio chairperson.
• Among other roles, he has also been the vice-president of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research of the International Science Council since 2018.

Antarctic Treaty

• The Antarctic Treaty was signed between 12 countries in Washington on 1^stDecember 1959 for making the Antarctic Continent a demilitarized zone to be preserved for scientific research only.
  • The twelve original signatories are Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the UK and the US.
• It entered into force in 1961and has since been acceded by many other nations.
• Members – Currently it has 54 parties. India became a member of this treaty in 1983.
• Headquarters – Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• Major Provisions:
  • Promoting the freedom of scientific research.
  • Countries can use the continent only for peaceful purposes.
  • Prohibition of military activities, nuclear tests and the disposal of radioactive waste.
  • Neutralising territorial sovereignty, this means a limit was placed on making any new claim or enlargement of an existing claim.
  • It put a freeze on any disputes between claimants over their territories on the continent.

Research stations in Antarctic

• Dakshin Gangotri
  • Dakshin Gangotri was the first Indian scientific research base station established in Antarctica, as a part of the Indian Antarctic Program.
  • It has weakened and become just a supply base.
• Maitri
  • Maitri is India’s second permanent research station in Antarctica. It was built and finished in
  • Maitri is situated on the rocky mountainous region called Schirmacher Oasis. India also built a freshwater lake around Maitri known as Lake Priyadarshini.
• Bharti
  Bharti, India’s latest research station operation since 2012. It has been constructed to help researchers work in safety despite the harsh weather.
  • It is India’s first committed research facility and is located about 3000 km east of Maitri.