nion Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav on Sunday stated that the Great Nicobar Project will not displace the Shompen, an indigenous tribe of the Nicobar Islands and, instead, it would counter expansionist action by China in the region, curb the stealing of marine resources by Myanmarese poachers, bridge infrastructural gaps, and promote global trade.
Amid criticism from the Opposition regarding the Rs 72,000 crore mega project, Yadav was responding to an August 10 letter from Rajya Sabha MP and former ,Minister Jairam Ramesh, who requested the suspension of all clearances granted to the project and a review by a parliamentary panel.
The project involves construction of a transshipment port, an international airport, a power plant, a township and allied infrastructure in the Greater Nicobar island. It was given nod by the Environment Ministry two years ago. The move invited criticism from the Opposition that said the mega project posed grave threat to indigenous tribal groups and flora and fauna.
“It is only after due deliberations and after incorporating exemplary mitigation measures that the decision on the project was taken by the Central Government keeping the strategic, national and defence interests in mind and without compromising with the environmental and social aspects,” Yadav stated in a detailed seven-page response on Sunday.
Ramesh had raised concerns that the project would divert 13,075 hectares of forest land, about 15 per cent of the island’s area, and encroach on prohibited coastal zones. He also alleged that the project proceeded without proper consent from the Shompen and Nicobarese tribes and violated laws intended to gauge tribal consent.
Ramesh further noted that the project is located in an earthquake-prone area that experienced significant ground shifts during the 2004 tsunami and criticised the opaque findings of a high-powered committee established by the Government to address these concerns. In response, Yadav stated that the committee's reports were not made public due to the project's strategic and defense importance.
Addressing Ramesh’s concerns about forest diversion, Yadav explained that despite the project's impact, 82% of the Great Nicobar area remains protected as forests, eco-sensitive zones, and biosphere reserves, exceeding the required two-thirds forest cover. He also noted that consultations with tribal councils had been conducted through the Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti, and the Chairman of the Tribal Council had participated in these meetings.
Regarding compensatory afforestation, Yadav acknowledged that while local plantation options were limited, planting native species in non-notified forest land outside the island and urban areas would provide significant ecological value. He added that the Haryana government had already notified 24,353.72 hectares as protected forest for the p565 project.
