India on Antarctic Treaty 1961-1991
Complete Set of 2 nos of commemorative postage stamps on the 30th Anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS), regulate international relations with respect to Antarctica :
Issued by India
Issued on Jun 23, 1991
Description of Designs : The setenant set of two special postage stamps has been designed by ISP Nashik on the basis of material provided by the Department of Ocean Development. The design of the First Day Cover is also based on the material supplied by the Deptt. of Ocean Development. Cancellation has been designed by Ms. Nenu Gupta.
Type : Stamps, Postal Used
Colour : Two Colour Setenant
Denomination : 500 & 650 Paise
Overall size : 2.90 x 7.82 cms.
Print Size : 2.54 x 7.45 cms.
Perforation : 13 x 13
Paper : Imported Un W/M Gravure Coated Gummed Stamp Paper
Number printed : 10,00,000
Number per issue sheet : 28
Printing Process : Photogravure
Printed : India Security Press
About :
- Antarctica is an island continent almost completely covered by ice. It is larger than Europe and even larger than India and China put together. It is covered by an ice cap in which 40% of world’s fresh water is locked up. It is the coldest, driest, windiest, stormiest and the least accessible of all the continents. Its ice cap is an ideal laboratory which preserves secrets hitherto unknown to man.
- India launched her first expedition to the continent in the year 1981 and established her first permanently manned station on the ice shelf in 1984 and named it as Dakshin Gangotri. It was shifted in 1988 to the rocky area in the Schirmacher hill ranges about 80 kms away. The new station named Maitri is well furnished with living space, laboratories, medical facilities and other amenities. It provides a viable base for carrying out scientific researches in a unique and pristine environment. A decade of Antarctic Science has already created a vibrant body of highly challenging and exciting scientific programmes contributed by scientists from a host of institutions in the country. The defence forces have made their inimitable contribution in supporting the scientific activities by developing the whole gamut of logistic facilities.
- Antarctica is governed by Antarctic Treaty which came into force on 23rd June 1961. The Treaty has so far been acceded to by 39 member states of which 26 countries including India have consultative status. All decisions relating to Antarctica have to be taken with the consent of all the Consultative Parties. The treaty maintains that Antarctica is open to all countries for scientific research and is to be free of nuclear and military activities. It lays down stringent standards for environmental preservation, waste management, protection and preservation of the Antarctic marine life. India participates in all Consultative Party meetings of the Antarctic Treaty and also in all other decision making conferences relating to Antarctic such as the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, Convention on Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and meetings relating to Antarctic Mineral Resources Regime.
- Text : Courtesy Deptt. of Ocean Development.
