Context:
Recently, the Ministry of Environment has assured that the project will not displace or disturb the indigenous tribes and that due consultations with tribal councils were conducted.
Relevance:
GS III: Infrastructure
Dimensions of the Article:
- Great Nicobar Island
- The Great Nicobar Island Project
- Concerns and Challenges
- Way Forward
Great Nicobar Island
- Location and Features:
- The southernmost and largest of the Nicobar Islands.
- Area: 910 sq km of tropical rainforest.
- Home to India’s southernmost point, Indira Point, located 90 nautical miles from Sumatra.
- Part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which include 836 islands divided into two groups separated by the 10° Channel.
- Hosts two national parks, a biosphere reserve, and small populations of Shompen, Onge, Andamanese, Nicobarese tribal peoples, and a few thousand non-tribal settlers.
The Great Nicobar Island Project
- Project Overview:
- Launched in 2021.
- Aimed at developing the southern end of the Andaman and Nicobar islands.
- Includes a trans-shipment port, international airport, township development, and a 450 MVA gas and solar-based power plant.
- Implementation and Goals:
- Based on a NITI Aayog report highlighting the island’s strategic position.
- Implemented by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO).
- Includes an International Container Trans-shipment Terminal (ICTT) and a greenfield international airport.
- Located near the Malacca Strait, facilitating regional and global maritime trade.
- Strategic and Security Importance:
- The ICTT and power plant site is in Galathea Bay, where there is no human habitation.
- Enhances deployment of additional military forces, larger warships, aircraft, missile batteries, and troops.
- Essential for close surveillance and building a strong military deterrence.
- Critical for India’s national security due to proximity to key waterways and strategic choke points like the Malacca, Sunda, and Lombok Straits.
- Counteracts China’s military presence and expansion efforts in the region, particularly on the Coco Islands.
Concerns and Challenges
- Impact on Tribal Communities:
- Potentially devastating impact on the Shompen and Nicobarese tribes, classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
- Risks to their traditional way of life and the island’s natural environment.
- Environmental Impact:
- Destruction of coral reefs and threats to local species like the Nicobar Megapode bird and leatherback turtles.
- Large-scale deforestation, with the felling of nearly a million trees.
- High seismic activity zone raising safety concerns for large infrastructure projects.
- Administrative Issues:
- Accusations of inadequate consultation with the Tribal Council.
- National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the establishment of a high-power committee to review environmental and forest clearances.
Way Forward
- Inclusion of Tribal Councils:
- Ensure the involvement of Tribal Councils in decision-making processes.
- Respect traditional knowledge and legal rights under the Forest Rights Act (2006).
- Oversight and Monitoring:
- Establish a high-power committee to oversee environmental and forest clearances.
- Include representatives from environmental groups, tribal councils, and independent experts.
-Source: The Hindu
