The Hindu : National : How about Antarctica as a holiday destination?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 29, 2004

National

National

How about Antarctica as a holiday destination?

LUCKNOW, JUNE 28. Ever thought of having a holiday in one of the coldest, windiest, stormiest, brightest yet beautiful place in the world -- the continent of Antarctica, for which no visa is required.

It sounds unbelievable, but is possible if one has the will and the adventurous streak to see the frozen continent, covered with a thick four-km layer of ice all over with the temperature ranging between minus 20 to 30 degrees Celsius -- in the summers. Surprisingly, out of about 10,000 tourists who have visited the South Pole, only one Indian figures in the list so far.

Indian Antarctica Expedition convenor and Deputy Director of National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi, Dr H N Dutta, told UNI that India lagged behind in taking up the adventurous visit to Antarctica though countries like the US do not only have live telecasts and broadcasts from there everyday, but have also shot Hollywood films like the famous `Star Wars' series.

Dr Dutta, who was in town to deliver a lecture on Antarctica, said, ``People do not know that Indian sub-continent was once a part of the Antarctica around 200 million years ago. While the other countries have made so much advancement there, we have only been visiting it since our first expedition went there in 1981.''

The convenor, who himself has been to Antarctica twice and is again slated to be a part of this year's expedition, revealed some startling facts about the dome-shaped continent which is about 3.5 times bigger than India.

"It is the coldest continent with temperatures as low as -89.9 degree Celsius in winters, the visibility there is astonishingly more than 300 km and has winds blowing at 350 km/hr.'' The scientist clarified the visibility was beyond 300 km because of the light getting reflected from the ice surface and the land being barren, without any barriers. He said at a few places the visibility was even 500 km, whereas it is just about a few metres in normal living places.

"The cyclones continue to churn the atmospheric oxygen into water and maximum icebergs are formed here. Despite the odds, people stay there round the year and more visit it every year, but no one has died so far of living there,'' he said.

Mr Dutta said while over 15 countries have established their stations on the continent, Indian station `Maitri', was equipped with all the facilities to provide a cosy and home-like ambience to the visitors and would be happy to welcome if people liked to visit the place.

While the Indian government and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) bears the expenses of a scientific expedition, the tourists would have to spend Rs 6 lakhs on their trip. An expedition costs around Rs 20 crores.

Dr Dutta said that there are two types of scientific expedition going on there -- one of four months (summer expedition) and the other of 16 months (winter expedition). ``What is now required is to make the people aware of the commercial viability. The other countries make films, documentaries, advertisements and conduct so many researches there, whereas people here still fear of it as an alien place.''

He stressed on the need to promote awareness regarding the place among the people. "There is virtually no habitation there, but the environment is very clean. One comes across pengiuns and other migratory birds including the Albatross and Skua which come from thousands of km away.''

He also expressed surprise over the fact that in India there was not even a commercial website giving information about the place to the people and its immense uses for the mankind.

"In another 20 years from now, it would not be a surprise if we start importing fresh water from there. The continent has an oil reserve which can suffice the requirement of the whole world for 30 years while its rich mineral base is still to be tapped by the scientists.''

During the last 24 years, the trip has been much more simplified than what it used to be before. While the visitors from Australia and New Zealand have an edge because of the proximity to Antarctica, the Indian expedition goes by air up to South Africa from where the ship journey to the South Pole begins. The maritime journey takes about eight days.

``We would welcome if our expedition has novelty with people from various fields including writers, poets, mediapersons and others accompanying us, which would make the visit much more worthwhile and only then the common people would understand the significance about the quiet and peaceful continent resting with pride in the far south,'' he added.

UNI

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