KOLKATA (West Bengal, India): India’s National Green Tribunal (NGT) has cleared the controversial Rs 80,000 crore Great Nicobar Project, ruling that there is no significant environmental reason to block its execution.
The decision came on Monday despite concerns raised by environmentalists and tribal groups, who argue that the project will severely impact the region’s fragile ecosystems and the livelihoods of indigenous tribes.
The project covers an area of 166.10 square kilometers on Great Nicobar Island. Of this, 130.75 square kilometers is forest land, and 84.10 square kilometers is under tribal territory. The project has been in the spotlight due to its potential to displace local tribal communities.
The project, estimated to cost Rupees 80,000 crore, aims to transform the island into a global trade hub. The plans include a transshipment terminal, an international airport, a power plant and a township. Proponents of the project argue that it will boost India’s strategic importance and economic growth, especially by increasing maritime trade in the Indo-Pacific region.
However, critics highlight that the project threatens the biodiversity of the region and encroaches on the ancestral land of indigenous communities. These tribes rely on the island’s dense forests and coastal areas for subsistence, including hunting, fishing and gathering. There are fears that the traditional way of life of the tribal groups will be disrupted. Their land rights and access to natural resources are critical to their survival, and many tribal leaders have called for a more inclusive consultation process.
The NGT’s decision comes after an appeal was filed by environmental groups and tribal rights organizations, seeking to halt the project due to its potential violation of environmental laws and tribal rights. However, the tribunal stated that the environmental clearance given by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) of the Government of India had been sufficiently considered, and it found no substantial grounds to interfere with the approval process. The tribunal also noted that the project had been approved after thorough scrutiny of its environmental impact, including assessments of the flora and fauna in the region.
Ashish Kothari, a senior environmental activist, had filed two pleas before the NGT, seeking the exclusion of certain areas from the project. According to him, 57 hectares of port land, 60 hectares designated for the airport, 81 hectares for a defense township and 503 hectares of general township area were located within Island Coastal Regulation Zone (ICRZ) zones that bar development.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are part of India, located in the Bay of Bengal. They are about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) from Chennai (in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu), and roughly 1,300 kilometers (810 miles) from Kolkata (in West Bengal).
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