Great Nicobar Island and its rich biodiversity have been a center of concern in the wake of the proposed integrated development project. The mega-development project, as outlined in the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report, has raised serious apprehensions related to scientific inaccuracies, submission of false or incomplete information and noncompliance with the correct procedure. A committee of the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) issued guidelines for preparing the EIA report in May 2021.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Explained
The EIA is a critical evaluation process that investigates the likely environmental impacts of any planned project or development. It considers inter-connected socio-economic, cultural and human-health effects, both favorable and adverse. The Environment Protection Act, 1986 backs the EIA statutorily, containing several provisions on its methodology and process.
About the Integrated Project in Great Nicobar
The NITI Aayog-piloted Rs. 72,000-crore project in Great Nicobar comprises a mega port, airport complex, a township sprawled over 130 sq.km of pristine forest, along with a solar and gas-based power plant. Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation Ltd. (ANIIDCO) is the project’s official proponent. However, environmental researchers and ecologists are deeply concerned about the potential impact of this project on the island’s unique ecosystem.
Issues with the EIA Report
Several inconsistencies and inaccuracies have been found in the EIA report. These include incorrect or incomplete data regarding the island’s total area and misrepresented figures relating to the local fauna. Notable omissions include the presence of coral reefs in the Galathea Bay area and the fact that Great Nicobar is a known site for migratory birds.
Concerns with Institutional Approach
The EIA report lacked transparency regarding ANDICO’s environmental policy. The lack of details about its operating process, procedures for regulatory violation, and ensuring compliance with environmental clearance conditions raises eyebrows. Moreover, the Directorate of Tribal Welfare, tasked with protecting the rights of indigenous people on the islands, assured tribal rights protection but asserted the possibility of seeking exemptions from existing regulations if required for project execution.
Environmentalists Raise Alarm
Environmentalists are apprehensive that the proposed project could disrupt turtle and megapode nesting sites and damage the islands’ coral reefs. De-notification of many reserve areas, including land under the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve and a tribal reserve, may occur due to the project. Given that 81.74% of the island is covered with national parks, reserves, and forests, the project could have significant implications for the biodiversity and the indigenous Onge tribe.
About Great Nicobar
Great Nicobar, the southernmost island of the Nicobar Islands Archipelago, covers 1,03,870 hectares of unique and threatened tropical evergreen forest ecosystems. It is a hub of biodiversity, housing 650 species of various plant forms and over 1800 fauna species, some of which are endemic to this area.
Ecological Characteristics
The Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve features diverse ecosystems, encompassing tropical wet evergreen forests, mountain ranges reaching 642 m above sea level, and coastal plains.
Tribes of Great Nicobar
The Shompen Tribe, a Mongoloid tribal community of around 200 individuals, inhabits these forests, particularly along rivers and streams. Another tribe, the Nicobarese, once resided along the west coast but were relocated after the devastating 2004 tsunami.