Centre brings Antarctic Bill that seeks to protect the pristine icy continent

Four decades after India’s first voyage to the icy continent, the Union government on Friday introduced the Indian Antarctic Bill, 2022 in the Lok Sabha, seeking to regulate human activities in the continent and protect its pristine environment in accordance with an international treaty.

The Bill – likely to be taken up for consideration and passing next week – not only fulfills India’s international commitments, but will also facilitate the country’s interest and pro-active involvement in the management of growing Antarctic tourism and sustainable development of fisheries resources in Antarctic waters.

The southernmost continent is currently governed by the 1959 Antarctic Treaty that seeks to keep the area beyond 60 degrees south latitude free from military activities and territorial disputes, while keeping it open for peaceful scientific research and international cooperation. There is also a freeze on all mining activities till 2047.

"Currently 54 nations are party to the Antarctic Treaty, of which 27 have some kind of domestic laws on Antarctica. It meets one of our long pending international obligations,” M Ravichandran, secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, told DH.

India is one of the 29 nations that have a right to vote at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings.

Currently there are two Indian research stations – Maitri (commissioned in 1989) and Bharati (2012) – where nearly 100 Indian scientists and support staff live throughout the year for their studies. Around 1,000 – 5,000 people reside in Antarctica throughout the year in about 40 permanent stations spread across the continent.

Piloting the Bill, Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh said activities in the Antarctic region were governed by international treaties that required domestic laws to be extended to the research stations of respective countries to check unlawful activities.

"If any unlawful activity happens in the territory occupied by Indian research stations, then how to check it? In the Antarctic Treaty, it was made mandatory for all 54 countries (signatories) that whichever area is occupied by your set up, you enforce your country's law and in order to honour that, this bill has been brought," the minister said.

“The continuing and growing presence of Indian scientists in Antarctica warrants a domestic legislation on Antarctica that is consistent with its obligations as a member of the Antarctic Treaty. This is also in sync with the emergence of India as a global leader on important international fronts,” the Bill says in its Statement of Object and Reasons.

There is a growing concern over preserving the pristine environment and ocean around Antarctica from exploitation of marine living resources and human presence in Antarctica. In the future, the private ship and aviation industry will start operations and promote tourism and fishing in Antarctica, which needs to be regulated.

"Unlike the Arctic where each country has their own territory, Antarctica is a no-man’s land and that’s why a domestic law is warranted. Also there is an increase in tourist flow from Argentina and other South American countries,” said M Rajeevan, former MoES secretary.

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