Indian Antarctic Bill 2022:
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The Ministry of Earth Sciences is guiding the Indian Antarctic Bill.
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The bill aims to regulate visits and activities to Antarctica, as well as any potential conflicts that may arise among those who live there.
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The bill also establishes penalties for certain serious infractions.
Significance and Mandate of the Indian Antarctic Bill 2022:
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Since 1983, India had been a signatory to the Antarctica Treaty, which required it to establish a set of laws governing areas of the continent where it had research bases.
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The bill is expected to assist India in meeting its obligations under the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, the Antarctic Marine Living Resources Convention of 1982, and the Antarctic Treaty Protocol on Environmental Protection of 1998.
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The Indian Antarctic programme, which began in 1981, has completed 40 scientific expeditions and built three permanent research base stations in Antarctica: Dakshin Gangotri (1983), Maitri (1988), and Bharati (2012).