An Indian Express team begins a trek to Siachen and keeps you posted, every day.

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An year after the first civilian trek to the Siachen glacier snowballed into a major controversy with Pakistan lodging a strong protest against `tourism’ in the disputed region, India formally flagged off another civilian expedition to the world’s highest battle field.

However, even before the 32 member delegation could reach base camp, the expedition has run into a minor controversy with Defence Minister AK Antony pulling out from the flagging off ceremony at the last moment.

While the defence minister was scheduled to formally flag off the expedition from Leh on Tuesday, his visit was called off at the last moment and the army had to rope in Lt Gen SS Dhillon, the Master General of Ordnance (MGO) to perform the ceremony.

Sources said that the last minute change was made after the defence ministry decided to keep the trek a low key affair. The decision to pull out Antony came days after Pakistani President Asif Zardari indicated that both countries were close to a breakthrough on both the Siachen and Sir Creek boundary dispute.

Meanwhile, the 37 member delegation - school children, DRDO scientists, mountaineering enthusiasts, media persons and defence personnel - was flagged off from the Rinchen auditorium on Tuesday morning after a seven day acclimatization phase in Leh.

Participants of the second civilian trekking expedition to the Siachen glacier will now head for the Siachen base camp for a five day training camp before proceeding for the glacial trek.

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