Great Nicobar Project — A Strategic Move or A Betrayal

You must have seen in news about the recent NGT approval of 81000 crore Great Nicobar Mega Infrastructure Project stating a “strategic importance” and “adequate safeguards” in environmental clearance. The main part of conversation is to analyze it below the headlines uncover the hidden information. You will get to know the pros of this as all media channels are full of those so we will cover some uncovered layers of information

The term “ A Betrayal” is well defined according to my research object me if any information found incorrect. The budget escalation from initially 50000 crore to around 90000 crore now shows some point of concerns due to this un

1. Ecological and Environmental Concerns :- Around 130sq. km land with over 1 Mn trees to be cut down. Also severe threat to globally significant species like Giant Leatherback turtle and Nicobar Megapode. Cutting down rainforest trees and clearing the wooden logs from island to any other place comes with very high cost and requires a good infrastructure so to minimize it last option left is to burn them. Strain on resources, sewage and waste hazard will subsequently affect the ecology in broader way

2. Concern regarding procedure of Environmental and Forest Clearances :- Going back to Aug, 24. Suddenly one day NCSCM denotify a wildlife sanctuary from CRZ 1A(critical ecosystem prohibiting any new construction) to CRZ 1B(Regulated and Strategic Development allowed) done to come up a port. Forest Rights Act, 2006 dictate forest diversion require settlement and consent of tribal groups. Acc. to authorities it’s been done in just 21 days and they had also consented diversion of their lands.

3. Issues of Communities their rights and cultural heritage :- Current population of Nicobar is 8000 with 1000 indigenous people project plant to bring 3.5 lakh outsiders. Shompen is a vulnerable tribal group consist of around 300 individuals. In the committees formed under FRA Shompen are entirely unrepresented making it legally and ethically void.

4. Geological Issues :- The Great Nicobar is on one of the most tectonically active lines of planet which represent severe risk on project or mainly on tax payers money. Recent Myanmar Earthquake has taken 3000 lives so Nicobar arc also faces earthquakes on regular basis which put the project on massive financial risk.

True development shouldn’t require bypassing indigenous rights, ignoring severe geological risks, or sacrificing our most vulnerable ecosystems. As we look closer at these mega-projects, we have to ask: who really pays the ultimate price for this ‘strategic importance’?