India's bid for third Antarctica research station cleared

New Delhi, May 12 (UNI) India has now got the go-ahead to set up its third research station in Antarctica.

The country's bid to set up the third station in the icy continent has been cleared by the XXX Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM), Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Minister Kapil Sibal announced today.

''It's a historic step.... We are thinking of a name.... It could be some Sanskrit name,'' Mr Sibal told a press conference, called to brief the media on the two-week long ATCM which concluded here yesterday.

The satellite earth station at Larsemann Hills in the icy continent is expected to provide better communication and data transfer facility between Antarctic and mainland India.

''It will be near the sea so that ships can come close to the station. The weather conditions will be better there compared to Maitry station with average wind speed of 50-60 km an hour,'' Mr Sibal said.

He said India would finalise the comprehensive environmental evaluation of the new base in the next few months.

India has two research bases but the first one, Dakshin Gangotri, is completely non-functional as it is now buried under ice.

At least 20 scientists are working in India's second station at Schirmacher hill area called 'Maitri' (friendship).

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