Inside this issue
The polar realms
1959 Antarctic Treaty: The legacy and the challenges Created in the midst of the Cold War five decades ago, the Antarctic Treaty provided a mechanism for governing the region. In the following years, new issues such as fishing and tourism along with an expanded membership have transformed the politics of Antarctic and continue to provoke serious challenges to its governance.
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 operate stations both in the Arctic and the Antarctic.
Representing five continents, six faiths, and seven languages a team of eight women from across the Commonwealth countries arrived at the South Pole at 23:09 on 29th December 2009. The first women from India to ski to the South Pole, Reena Kaushal Dharmshaktu was selected to be part of the expedition. Skiing 900 kms in 38 days from the coast of Antarctic, the team achieved a number of records.
A region as fluid as the Arctic calls for wider attention and detailed research. Some of the latest development on the research front is briefly presented here.
India concerns
Plants have varying capacity to absorb water for sustenance. While a large tree may absorb a huge amount, others may store water for use during scarcity. A judiciously planned layout that accredits the physiological background of a plant is a must before using it for ground water reclamation.
MAR is a term that has been suggested for a process through which recycled water is stored in an aquifer under controlled conditions. As this water enters the sub soil and aquifer it is subjected to several organic processes which remove pathogens and harmful chemicals from the water, reducing contaminants which may adversely affect health and environment.
India's Outdoors
The State of Chhattisgarh is transforming and contrary to the older generation where tribal or non-tribal status impacted the way people would access amenities such as literacy, the disparities in the population are disappearing rapidly.
The evolution of Oriental Monsoon is a very complex phenomenon. Still more complex is the issue of climate change. It involves a whole range of climatic conditions which include solar radiation, temperature, pressure, wind, cloud and precipitation in a given period compared to the preceding periods and has a considerable impact on settled ecosystems.
Ambika Kalna is a small town in West Bengal, made famous by its terracotta temples which are devoted to the gods and goddesses of Indian mythology. The various sculptures etched in terracotta synthesise a wide range of indigenous architectural forms of the Bengal country side.
Among the three variations of the martial dance form, Purulia Chhau has a distinctive ethos. Traditionally performed to celebrate the sun festival, year long cultural extravaganzas today provide a wide canvas for its dissemination. Thematic content in Purulia Chhau is drawn from epical stories and the mask is the most characteristic part of the dance.
The travel to the Holy Mountain of Kailash is full of moments of anxiety and yet the trek offers unrivalled glimpse with nature at its best. A mix of tradition and modernity, the trek provides a life time experience with its challenging and yet mesmerising landscape and history.
In brief
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 a
