Question: Recently 40th Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica was flagged off from which of the following place?
a) Goa
b) Mumbai
c) Kolkata
d) Kochi
Answer: (a)
Related Facts:-
- On 5 January 2021; 40th Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica was flagged off from Goa.
- It should be noted that the journey also marked the four decades of the nation’s scientific endeavour in the White Continent at the South Pole.
- Chartered ice-class vessel MV Vasiliy Golovnin with 43 members on board will be making this journey, as per the Earth Sciences Ministry,.
- It will reach Antarctica in 30 days and will leave behind a team of 40 members and will return to India in April 2021.
- The vessel will also bring back the winter team gone there last winter.
- This time the world is facing the serious challenge posed by the COVID-19 therefore the logistics and the scientific activities of India’s 40th Antarctic Expedition will be limited.
- Aim or Focus of the present Expedition:-
- Present 40th Scientific Expedition to the Antartica has been planned to provide support to the ongoing scientific projects on geology, climate change, electric and magnetic flux measurements, ocean observations, environmental monitoring.
- This mission will also felicitate the return journey of winter crew by resupplying the of fuel and food.
- Precautions taken in the view of COVID-19:
- To Keep Antarctica free of COVID-19 the Ministry of Earth Sciences under the Central Government, has taken necessary measures.
- In this regard the extra precautions of mandatory 14 days of quarantine (pre-and post-expedition), sanitizing the cargo, and RT-PCR testing before boarding on the vessel were also conducted
- The 40th expedition will also strictly follow all the required protocols for the deployment of materials and men as per COMNAP.
- COMNAP, in full is known as Council of Managers of National Antarctic Program.
By – Rajesh Triapthi
Links:-
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1686148
http://airworldservice.org/english/archives/105749