The Holistic Development of Great Nicobar Island Project, which aims to transform the southernmost island of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago into an economic hub, is being criticised for its adverse impact on the island’s ecology and indigenous tribes. The project, worth Rs. 75,000 crore, was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in December 2018.
Project Overview
The project involves the construction of an airport, a township, a container transhipment terminal, and a power plant. The airport will be capable of handling Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s and will have a runway of 3,500 meters. The township will be spread across 400 hectares and will accommodate around 60,000 people. The container transhipment terminal will handle 2.5 million TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units) annually, and the power plant will have a capacity of 200 MW.
Adverse Impact on the Ecology
The project requires the diversion of 130 sq km of forest land and logging of 8.5 lakh trees. The forests of Great Nicobar Island are home to some of the rarest and endangered species of flora and fauna. The island is also known for its pristine beaches, coral reefs, and mangroves. The project is expected to cause severe damage to the island’s ecology, and environmentalists fear that it will lead to irreparable ecological damage.
Impact on Indigenous Tribes
The Great Nicobar Island is home to two indigenous tribes – the Shompen and the Nicobarese. The Shompen tribe is one of the last remaining tribes in the world that still practice a hunter-gatherer way of life. The Nicobarese tribe has a unique culture and way of life that has evolved over thousands of years. The project is expected to cause irreversible damage to the lives and livelihoods of these tribes.
Concerns Raised by Environmentalists
Environmentalists and activists have raised concerns about the project’s impact on the island’s ecology and indigenous tribes. They argue that the project’s economic benefits do not justify the environmental and social costs associated with it. The project is expected to lead to deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and disruption of the island’s fragile ecosystem. It is also expected to displace the indigenous tribes, who have lived on the island for thousands of years.
Government’s Response
The Environment Ministry has withheld all discussions on forest clearance for the entire project recommended by the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC). The FAC authorizes the diversion of forest land for projects, and there is no information on when it cleared the proposal for this project. The government has maintained that the project will bring economic development and create job opportunities in the region. However, environmentalists and activists argue that the project will lead to irreversible ecological damage and social disruption.