Rahul Gandhi meets tribal leaders in Great Nicobar

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is on a visit to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, on Tuesday met tribal leaders who are raising concerns over the mega infrastructure project in the Great Nicobar region.

A section of tribal communities in Campbell Bay in the Nicobar district has been alleging a lack of transparency, environmental risks, and neglect of tribal rights in the project.

The project includes building a transhipment port, an integrated township, a dual-use civil and military airport, and a power plant.

On April 26, Rahul Gandhi arrived at Sri Vijaya Puram in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and had a meeting with the party leaders.

He, along with local Congress leaders, went to Campbell Bay on Tuesday to understand the concerns of the tribal people related to the Great Nicobar projects. Gandhi criticised the alleged corporate influence in the archipelago and stressed that development should prioritise local needs rather than corporate interests. During his visit, he interacted with members of the Nicobarese tribal community and others in Campbell Bay.

The Congress leader also visited Indira Point, the southernmost tip of India, and paid floral tribute to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, after which the spot was named.

Tribal communities alleged that they are facing considerable hardship due to the proposed Great Nicobar projects and demanded that the Central Government take their concerns into account.

Titus Peter, First Captain (village head) of Pulobhabi village, said that people of Campbell Bay expressed apprehension about the impact on the Shompen tribe, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), claiming that increased outside contact could expose them to diseases and threaten their survival.

Peter also warned of ecological damage, saying the Great Nicobar project could adversely affect endemic species unique to the island.

While thanking Rahul Gandhi for understanding their concern, Peter alleged that the administration has not maintained transparency over the project, leaving tribal communities unaware of the full scale and implications of the project.

Andaman’s senior Congress leader G Bhasker, who is accompanying Gandhi, alleged that the Government had “cheated” the tribal communities by obtaining their No Objection Certificate (NOC) without disclosing the full facts about the project.

“In its present form, the project raises significant environmental and social concerns, and we want urgent attention in this matter,” Bhasker said.