One of world's largest icebergs drifting beyond Antarctic waters after it was grounded for 3 decades
London, Nov 25: One of the world's largest icebergs is drifting beyond Antarctic waters, after being grounded for more than three decades, according to the British Antarctic Survey.
The iceberg, known as A23a, split from the Antarctic's Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986. But it became stuck to the ocean floor and had remained for many years in the Weddell Sea.
The iceberg is about three times the size of New York City and more than twice the size of Greater London, measuring around 4,000 square kilometres (1,500 square miles).
Andrew Fleming, a remote sensing expert from the British Antarctic Survey, told the BBC on Friday that the iceberg has been drifting for the past year and now appears to be picking up speed and moving past the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, helped by wind and ocean currents.
"I asked a couple of colleagues about this, wondering if there was any possible change in shelf water temperatures that might have provoked it, but the consensus is the time had just come," Fleming told the BBC.
"It was grounded since 1986, but eventually it was going to decrease (in size) sufficiently was to lose grip and start moving," he added.
Fleming said he first spotted movement from the iceberg in 2020. The British Antarctic Survey said it has now ungrounded and is moving along ocean currents to sub-Antarctic South Georgia.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
MUDA case: Karnataka HC adjourns hearing till Dec 10
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday adjourned till December 10 the hearing on the plea seeking transfer of the investigation into the MUDA site allotment scam to the CBI. The plea was filed by activist Snehamayi Krishna doubting the credibility of Lokayukta investigation into the matter.
The petitioner told PTI that he approached the HC saying he has no faith in the Lokayukta police and hence the case should be handed over to the CBI.
In the MUDA case, it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the MUDA.
The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where it developed a residential layout.
Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to the land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential layouts. It is alleged that Parvathi had no legal title over this 3.16 acres of land at survey number 464 of Kasare village, Kasaba hobli of Mysuru taluk.
The Karnataka Lokayukta police and the Enforcement Directorate have launched an investigation into the 'scam'.
The CM has denied any wrongdoing in the alleged scam.
