Polar Bhavan And Sagar Bhavan Inaugurates at NCPOR

Discover Polar Bhavan and Sagar Bhavan, two state-of-the-art facilities inaugurated at NCPOR in Goa, boosting India's polar, ocean, and climate research capabilities and strengthening its role in global ocean geopolitics.

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Context: Earth Sciences Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurates Polar Bhavan and Sagar Bhavan at NCPOR.

What are Polar Bhavan And Sagar Bhavan?

Polar Bhavan: Will house advanced laboratories dedicated to polar and ocean research.
- It will serve as the base for India’s first-ever Polar and Ocean Museum, showcasing polar expeditions and marine science.
Saagar Bhavan: Equipped with two specialised ice core laboratories maintained at -30°C for studying polar ice samples.
- Includes +4°C storage units designed to archive sediment and biological samples collected from oceanic and polar missions.

About NCPOR (National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research)

Headquarters: Located in Goa.
Establishment: Formed in 1998 as an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Governing Body: Comprises 13 members representing experts in polar and ocean sciences.
- The Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, serves as the ex-officio chairman.

Functions

Polar and Ocean Research: Manages India’s research stations:
- Antarctica: Maitri and Bharati
- Arctic: Himadri
- Himalayas: Himansh
Lead Agency of Deep Ocean Mission: Flagship program aimed at exploring deep-sea mineral resources and hydrothermal systems in the Indian Ocean.
Policy Implementation Support: Assists in executing India’s Arctic Policy (2022) and Indian Antarctic Act (2022).

Significance

Polar Ice Monitoring: Polar ice holds around 70% of the world’s freshwater.
- Its melting could have serious consequences for low-lying coastal areas due to rising sea levels.
Ocean Geopolitics: Enhances scientific and strategic cooperation with other nations.
- Supports India’s geopolitical presence in the polar and oceanic domains.
Mission Facilitator: Enables future expeditions to challenging regions such as the Canadian Arctic, Greenland, and the Central Arctic Ocean.
- Facilitates access across different seasons, boosting India’s research and exploration capacity.