India has joined forces with other nations to promote regulated tourism in Antarctica as tourist interest to the “White Continent” grows dramatically.
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 Kochi, India from May 20-30.
"The problem is that tourism in Antarctica is not properly regulated. So this year, there is a discussion on its regulation," said M Ravichandran, Secretary at the Ministry of Earth Sciences, which will host both conferences. He 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 ordinary citizens can visit Indian research stations in Antarctica.
The number of tourists visiting Antarctica has been steadily increasing each year with several thousands of visitors making the journey annually, transiting either through Argentina or Chile. The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) reported 32,730 cruise-only visitors, 71,346 landed visitors and 821 deep-field visitors travelled to the continent from 2022-2023.
However, there are concerns that this influx of travellers is further damaging the fragile ecosystem, which is already threatened by the climate crisis. Travel to Antarctica costs an estimated INR 1 crore per person for researchers who travel aboard a ship from Goa to Cape Town in South Africa, which then sails forth to the South Pole.
Thamban Meloth, Director of the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), said India operates two active research stations in Antarctica—Maitri and Bharati—where scientists from different institutes across the country conduct research throughout the year. It costs the government anywhere between INR 150-200 crore every year to maintain the research bases in Antarctica.
Ravichandran emphasised that India's research stations in Antarctica are meticulously maintained and subject to regular inspections to ensure that they are kept in pristine condition. He emphasised the strict protocols in place for waste management, such as the requirement to transport all waste, including human waste, back to the mainland.
"There is a major working group in the ATCM and they will discuss and recommend to the Antarctic Treaty to have some criteria that a tourist needs to fulfil when visiting Antarctica," Ravichandran said.
(With inputs from PTI)