The Great Nicobar Project worth ₹92,000 crore gets clearance by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday. The NGT didn’t find any good ground to interfere and found the project of strategic importance, thus clearing its way. The project includes a transshipment port, power plant, international airport and township on Great Nicobar Island. Many species such as coral reefs, leatherback turtle nesting, may get affected due to this project.
What did the NGT say?
The NGT relied on the findings of a High-Powered Committee (HPC), which was earlier constituted to examine coral reefs, turtle nesting sites, and protected zones. The HPC found no substantial issues regarding the same. The NGT directed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to ensure coral protection/regeneration and to prepare an implementation plan. It also placed responsibility on Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to avoid shoreline erosion.
Significance of the Great Nicobar Project
- Strategic benefit: The Great Nicobar Island is close to the Malacca Strait, which connects the Indian and the Pacific Oceans. It will enhance India’s role in regional and global maritime economy.
- Security concerns: with the growing presence of China in the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean region are vital for India’s security interests.
- Employment opportunities: the local communities will benefit from this project, as this will lead to job creation during airport and ports creation.
- Tourism development: as the area will develop, this will lead to the growth of tourism sector industry in Nicobar, which will lead to income generation.
- Social Benefits: the project would help in the creation of affordable state-of-the-art facilities for healthcare, quality education, and adequate air, sea and web infrastructure.
Challenges associated with Great Nicobar project
- Threat to flora and fauna: nearly a million trees could die as part of this project and many animal species would get affected, such as including coral reefs, the Nicobar Megapode bird, and leatherback turtles.
- Indigeneous tribes may get displaced: the rights of Shompen and Nicobarese tribe that lives on the Nicobar island may get endangered.
- Lack of adequate consultations: The project has been pushed through without adequate deliberations of all the stakeholders like the The Tribal Council.
- Lack of adequate Social Impact Assessment: there is ambiguity in social impact assessment as increased outside with outsiders may harm the indegenous Shompen tribe as they may get vulnerable to diseases for which their immunity is not developed.
Road ahead
Due regards to tribal rights must be ensured alng with the developmet process. The construction of infrastructure should be done using eco-friendly practices. There should be transparency in the data published, it should be open to the public. This will give a holistic view to critics and supporters. Islands like Little Nicobar, Nancowry, Kamorta and Katchall can be explored, apart from GNI.
