INDIA's CLAIM ON EXTENDED CONTINENTAL SHELF BY 2005
20 NEW BACTERIAS DISCOVERED IN ANTARCTICA
India’s claim on
extended continental shelf would be ready by 2005 and put up before
the government for consideration. Most of the work relating to
determining the claim is complete. The data acquired is being
analysed and interpretation work is in progress. While work on
Bay of Bengal etc. is over, the data acquisition programme in
the Arabian sea sector already underway, is expected to be over
by January 2004. The work involved marine seismic reflection,
gravity and magnetic profiling, and marine refraction surveys
etc., besides developing a crustal model for the entire project
area. This whole exercise is expected to lead to India getting
lakhs of square miles of sea-bed area beyond the Exclusive Economic
Zone. These information were given by the Minister for Science
& Technology and Ocean Development, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi
while chairing a meeting of the parliamentary consultative committee
of his Ministry here yesterday.
Talking about recent
developments in Antarctic and Ocean Research, Dr. Joshi said that
climatic conditions over the Indian Ocean is influenced, rather
determined by developments in Antarctica. It is because of our
presence in Antarctica that we have been able to find a hole in
the ozone layer above the icy continent and realise its consequences.
Because of these developments, the Indian plate has been moving
4 to 5 cms annually towards the Himalayas, causing quakes and
tremors at the foothills. These along with our own economic and
scientific interests make our Antarctic programme very important
and highly significant.
Among the total 18
countries, which are signatories to the Antarctica Treaty, India
is a pioneer in Antarctic research. Of the 100 new bacterias found
in the icy continent, India alone has discovered 20 of them. These
bacterias are expected to throw some light on life in extreme
cold conditions and help in our biological research programme.
Complimenting the scientists for the rarest observation of solar
eclipse, once in 400 years from the Maitri station in Antarctica,
Dr. Joshi said that it is proposed to observe "International
Polar year". He also spoke of a national programme on Marine
Archaeological findings in the Gulf of Cambay.
The Parliament Members
who attended the meeting appreciated India’s Antarctic programme,
describing it as vital for the country. Some of them wanted comparative
study of our Antarctic research in relation with other Antarctic
members. They also quizzed about the progress of the programme
on drugs from the sea. They underlined the need to focus attention
on southern oceans in the light of the latest findings from our
Antarctic Research Programme.
Those who attended
the meeting include, the Minister of State for Science and Technology,
Shri Bachi Singh Rawat; the Secretary, Department of Ocean Development,
Dr. Harsh Gupta; the Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Dr.
Manju Sharma; the DG, CSIR, Dr. R.A.Mashelkar and the Members
of Parliament Shri V. Radhakrishnan; Dr. R.R.Pramanik, Shri M.O.H.Farook,
Capt. Jai Narain Prasad Nishad, Shri A.R.Kidwai and Shri Birbhadra
Singh.
