India is working with like-minded countries to promote regulated tourism in Antarctica as a steady increase in the number of tourists threatens to harm the fragile ecology in the White Continent.
Discussion on regulating tourism in Antarctica will be on the agenda at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM) and a meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) scheduled to be held in Kerala’s Kochi from May 20 to May 30.
“The problem is that tourism in Antarctica is not properly regulated. So this year, there is a discussion on its regulation,” M Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, said in an interaction with PTI editors here.
The Ministry of Earth Sciences is hosting the 46th meeting of the ATCM, the highest governing body for Antarctica, and the 26th CEP meeting.
Ravichandran also hinted at plans to facilitate visits to Indian research stations in Antarctica for the general public.
“Very soon, we will take it up,” he said when asked if a…
