˜e polar realms - geography and you
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■ Governing Antarctic ■ India in Arctic and Antarctic ■ Polar Update■ Skiing to the South Pole ■ 1st Indian Scientific Expedition to South Pole
The Polar Realms
A Development andEnvironment Magazine
Vol.
10, I
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63,
Nov
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HYDROPOWER NEWS
18 � N OV E M B E R - D E C E M B E R 2 010 � G E O G R A PH Y A N D Y OU
India led its first scientific expedition to the Antarctic
in 1981 and to the Arctic in 2007. India is thus,
among the very few nations in the world to have
research interests both in the Arctic and the Antarctic.
SUPPORTED BY MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
PARTNERS NATIONAL CENTRE FOR ANTARCTIC
AND OCEAN RESEARCH
COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH
SaGAA 2011
The National Conference on Science & Geopolitics of Arctic
& Antarctic (SaGAA) held on the 14th and 15th of January
2011 enabled scientific and legal experts from all over the
nation present their path breaking research and created
a networked group of stakeholders that interacted on a
single platform to enable greater amalgamation of global
research. The recommendations and views put forward will
be a beacon for developing nations such as India with policy
makers using SaGAA 2011 documentations shape future
adaptation and exploration programmes. The interdisciplinary
role played by the different stakeholders who are parties to
the polar dialogue will enthuse a whole new generation with
an active interest in research of polar areas – building the
scientific capacity of India and the world.
EMERGING SCIENCE-GEOPOLITICS INTERFACE IN THE POLAR REALMS
2 � N OV E M B E R - D E C E M B E R 2 010 � G E O G R A PH Y A N D Y OU G E O G R A PH Y A N D Y OU �N OV E M B E R - D E C E M B E R 2 010 � 3
VOL. 10 � ISSUE 63 � NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2010
F E A T U R E S
4 Editor’s Note
T H E P O L A R R E A L M S6 Global View Governing Antarctic
1959 Antarctic Treaty: The
legacy and the challenges
Story Prof Klaus Dodds
12 Polar Programmes India in Arctic and Antarctic
Story Rasik Ravindra
17 India Accolades 1st Indian Scientific
Expedition to South
Pole 2010-2011
Story Staff Reporter
18 Backgrounder Fact Sheet Arctic and
Antarctic
Story Staff Reporter
20 Extreme Adventure Skiing to the South Pole
Story Staff Reporter
22 News Update Arctic and Antarctic
Story Staff Reporter
I N D I A C O N C E R N S26 People of India Tribes of Chhattisgarh
Story Dr Saraswati Raju
GEOGRAPHY AND YOUcontents
Ice core sampling: Dr T Meloth,
member of the first Indian south
pole expedition team led by NCAOR,
Ministry of Earth Sciences, seen here
collecting snow and ice cores by drilling
shallow holes for atmospheric and
glaciological studies.
EditorSulagna Chattopadhyay
Special EditorDr Saraswati Raju
Legal AdvisorKrishnendu Datta
Cover Photograph Ceremonial South Pole,Photo Courtesy : NCAOR
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29 Clean Cities Sanitation Initiative:
involving schools
Story Staff Reporter
30 Rainfall Variations Evolution, Climate
Change and Oriental
Monsoon
Story Dr Nityanand Singh, Dr H N Singh and Ashwini Ranade
36 Species Watch Plants that Absorb
Too Much
Story Dipanjan Ghosh
40 Water Woes Managed Aquifer Recharge
Story P K Naik and K C Naik
I N D I A O U T D O O R S42 Terracotta Bengal Ambika Kalna
Temples of Burdwan
Story Rajesh K Singh
48 Folk Art The Chhau
Dance of Purulia
Story Sumit Chakraborty
52 Traveller’s Diary Holy Mt. Kailash Parikrama
Story Dr S Srinivasan
PHO
TO: S
OUT
H PO
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XPED
ITIO
N, C
OUR
TESY
: NCA
OR
4 � N O V E M B E R - D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 � G E O G R A P H Y A N D YO U G E O G R A P H Y A N D YO U � N O V E M B E R - D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 � 5
Dear readers,The new year is here. Tumultuous and tortuous, 2010 left behind bittersweet memories.
A few smiling eyes in the Dehradun Data Users’ Seminar, a warm smile across the
table in Hyderabad’s two day workshop on Capacity Building, a smattering of hard
earned media coverage, accolades and flak from peers and most of all the opportunity to
create a new magazine on renewable energy - a subject very close to my heart, filled the
year with surprises.
This, the last issue of the year, by default has found its publication date shifted to January
due to the National Conference on Science and Geopolitics of Arctic and
Antarctic that was organised on 14-15 January 2011. The shift is inadvertent and I sincerely
apologise to our readers. But, as we bid 2010 goodbye, I resolve that each coming issue of
G’nY will reach newer heights in article, photography and data coverage.
In the backdrop of the recently completed India’s first scientific expedition to the south
pole, growing relevance of this region became increasingly palpable. The Conference
was a huge success on several counts with scientists and geopolitical experts debating
about the trajectory of India’s Arctic, Antarctic Programme. In the near future, I believe the
polar realms would hold the key to build sustainable futures through a regime of sharing
and caring. I am grateful to Prof K Dodds for contributing an extremely lucid article that
beautifully describes the changing scenario in Antarctic governance. Also Dr Rasik Ravindra
and Reena Kaushal Dharamshaktu need special mention for their courage and vision.
Happy reading...
Sulagna Chattopadhyay
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
PHO
TO :
ORV
IN M
OUN
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, AN
TARC
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Sept-Oct 2010 I am a regular reader of G’nY. I hardly fi nd articles talking about tourism and
how it degrades the pristine environment in distant reaches of our nation. In the last issue of
G’nY, I read the article titled ‘Tourism & Environment: A Symbiotic Relationship’. I believe every
tourist should be asked to take an oath ‘not to pollute’ before he is allowed to enter quality
tourist destinations. There should be a big movement towards achieving this. The Ministry of
Environment and Forests, Government of India should sponsor such awareness programmes in
an aggressive way. Otherwise, as we have polluted our rivers beyond redemption, all our hills,
sea-coasts etc. will meet the same fate. —Rekha Sahani, New Delhi.
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� pricing and energy choice
� hydro power in the north east
� dam removals
� solar power success story
� cascades of bastar
� pricing andng angng energy choice
hydropower
A Development andEnvironment Magazine
Vol.
10, I
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62,
Sep
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geogra
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and y
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EDITOR’S NOTE
G’nY needs more pagesI have been reading G’nY for the
last 4 to 5 years. The information
provided is authentic and up to
date. It is really helpful in preparing
proposals and reports. However,
of late I have noticed that pictures,
though lovely, are occupying
large areas leaving little space for
written content. This is my sincere
appeal to the management and the
editor to increase the pages of the
magazine from the next issue so
as to not compromise with both
quality and content.
—Ramakant Bhargava, Rajkot, Gujarat.
Climate change in the centre stageI read the Climate Change issue of
G’nY a few years back. I remember
that at that point yours’ was the
only magazine which published a
balanced view on the tricky issue
of climate change. Please continue
to publish articles that contain
vibrant debates on climate change
as it has acquired centre stage in
the world today.
—Ragini Singh, Nainital, Uttarakhand.
Dam removalsI read the interview of Dr Bharat
Jhunjhunwala on the issue of dam
removals published in the Sept-Oct
2010 issue of G’nY. It is important
to learn from others’ mistakes -
but, USA is removing the storage
dams post a very high level of
development. We Indians are poor
imitators – and defi nitely lack
originality. Right now, we require
power at any cost. We need to
run our machines to the hilt. We
have to increase our production
graph. When half the population
in the country is still jobless
or underemployed, the debate
whether we should or should not
have big dams is irrelevant. A
country like India should go all
out for power generation and all
possible sources of energy should
be exploited.
—Dr Dinesh Singh, Research Associate, Chandigarh
Power from renewablesI read the articles on hydro power
in the Sept-Oct 2010 issue of G’nY.
I was wondering whether you are
planning a renewable energy
issue too. I am a strong believer
of solar power and feel that we
should go all out to tap solar
energy. Solar power provides
enormous possibilities to meet our
energy demands. Why are we not
realising our strength and opting
for something which is freely
available since time immemorial?
Energy from renewables holds the
key for the development of our
country.
—Shyam Kishore Rai, Patna, Bihar
Solar powered zooIt was refreshing to know that
an entire zoo is running on solar
power. I was surprised that Prince
of Wales still has a zoological
garden to his name in the land
of nawabs. Kudos to Ms Renu
Singh, who has shown the way
to other zoos in the country. The
recently announced Jawaharlal
Nehru National Solar Mission
has enormous hopes for energy
availability. All efforts should be
made to provide energy to every
household in the country even in
the remotest corner.
—Ramesh Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan
Teaching aid in geographyI am a teacher in a Higher
Secondary School and teach
geography. I look forward to new
methods used in teaching maps
and diagrams so that students
can develop a healthy interest in
the subject. May I request you
to necessarily keep one or two
topics on teaching aids. I also
congratulate you for bringing out
the only magazine on geography
in the country.
—Rashmi Singh, Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat
TRAVELLER’S DIARY
5 6 � N O V E M B E R - D E C E M B E R 2 010 � G E O G R A P H Y A N D Y O U
in the wide chasm skirting the West face of the mountain and trudging along the gurgling river. The luggage was transferred from the supply trucks and firmly secured on the backs of yaks. Weather turned foul, sun faded, drizzling started and we braced ourselves against the roaring winds. Sleet followed soon. It was relief when the horses for our group were sighted. My resolve to walk was tested severely by the onset of snowfall.
By late evening we arrived at the monastery of Dhiraphuk at an altitude of 17,700 ft - exhausted and chilled to the bone. A hot drink and the ensuing rest were most welcome. Our tents by the glacier faced icy winds through the night and by morning icicles hung daintily on the tent eaves.
After breakfast, we mounted our horses to resume the upward ascent to Drolma La at 19,000 ft. The path was strewn with boulders. The cold numbed my fingers every time I clicked pictures! With colourful streamers of prayer flags in sight, we knew we had reached Drolma Pass. Weary legs yearned for rest, but we could not stay too long at this altitude so we descended to the other side skirting the frozen Gauri Kund. We now had to walk several miles downhill to reach the river bank before we could resume our horse ride. The joy on sighting the Mongolian kitchen tent characteristic of our camp from the distance was unrivalled ecstasy!
The next morning we visited the Zuthulphuk Monastery where Atisha, the monk supposedly spent a lifetime meditating. We then rode and walked for considerable distance before reaching the last prostration point and yippee! Our land cruisers were sighted and beyond them the serene blue waters of the Manasarovar were visible.
A short ride took us to the camp on the bank of the Manasarovar and we made a beeline to the waterfront. Indian pilgrim camps were close to the waterfront and we could see the litter dumps! In fact our team spent a good hour next morning dredging the lake of tetra packs, plastics and other refuse left behind. We walked into the cold water forming a human chain with elderly uncle in the middle and bracing ourselves against the wind we took the 3 customary dips in unison. Shivering and changing into dry clothes on the windy bank was an ordeal. It was a full moon night and we drove unto the lake after dinner to view the rising moon! It was a divine experience and well worth the hardship gone through by each one of us. Months of training, the Sky Train journey, the long stay in Tibet to acclimatise, the low salt, no spice, no fat Tibetan diet and the camaraderie contributed a lot in achieving this goal.
On our return we stopped by Rongphu Monastery, the highest in the world and the Mt. Everest National Park, which incidentally is very well protected. The next morning we drove to the Base Camp in non-polluting electric buses and took the road to Zhangmu, passing the magnificent peak of Shishe Pangma, next in height only to Everest. The next morning we parted company with our drivers and Tsering at the border check post. We crossed over the Friendship Bridge into Nepal and were picked up by land cruisers for the 200 km journey to Kathmandu. A two hour flight later we werein Delhi. The author is a practicing paediatrician in Delhi and an avid photographer.
The Mansarovar Lake
where the three customary
dips were taken.
