(A) WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT ARE AWARE THAT MORE SPYING IS DONE IN ANTARCTICA THAN THE RESEARCH WORK BY THE SCIENTISTS WHO ARE BASED THERE AS REPORTED IN HINDI DAILY `RASHTRAIYA SAHARA` DATED FEBRUARY 4, 2003;
(B) IF SO, THE FACTS THEREOF;
(C) THE DETAILS OF RESEARCH WORK CARRIED BY THE INDIAN SCIENTISTS IN ANTARCTICA SO FAR; AND
(D) THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE 22ND EXPEDITION OF INDIA WHICH LEFT FOR ANTARCTICA ON 10TH JANUARY, 2003?
THE MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT, MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF OCEAN DEVELOPMENT (DR. MURLI MANOHAR JOSHI)
(A) YES, IT IS NOT TRUE.
(B) DPES DOES NOT ARISE.
(C) THE SCIENTIFIC WORK DONE BY THE INDIAN SCIENTISTS IN ANTARCTICA IS PUBLISHED IN THE TECHNICAL REPOORTS OF EACH EXPEDITION. IN ADDITION, HUNDREDS OF SCIENTIFIC PAPERS HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED IN VARIOUS INDIAN AND INTERNATIONAL JOOURNALIS. FIFTEEN RESEARCH SCHOLARS GOT THEIR PH.D BASED ON THEIR WORK IN ANTARCTICA.
(D) THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE XXII INDIAN ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION ARE TO -
# PROVIDE LOGISTIC AND MANPOWER SUPPORT TO MAINTAIN INDIAN PERMAMENT STATION `MAITRI`; AND # TO CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN THE FIELDS OF- - ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE; - BIOLOGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES - BIOLOGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES - EARTH SCIENCES & GLOBAL CHANGE; AND - ENGINEERING & COMMUNICATION