Great Nicobar Island Project raises environmental concerns

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ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS: Bhupender Yadav, Minister of Environment, Government of India, mentioned that around 9.6 lakh trees are likely to be felled for the Great Nicobar Island Project.

During the ongoing budget session in the Parliament, Yadav said that in October 2022, the central government approved the infrastructure project worth Rs 72,000 crore. This project entails the diversion of approximately 130.75 sq km of forest land on the environmentally sensitive Great Nicobar Island.

The government plans to construct an International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTP) at Galathea Bay in southern Andaman and Nicobar Islands, along with a new international airport, a power plant, and a residential area for the project’s personnel.

Highlighting that the project is of “significant strategic and national importance,” the minister stated, “The estimated number of trees to be affected is 9.64 lakhs. More than 50 per cent, that is, 65.99 sq. km of the area proposed for diversion, is reserved for green development where no tree felling is envisaged. It is expected that about 15 per cent of the development area would continue to remain as green and open spaces, and therefore the number of trees likely to be affected will be less than 9.64 lakhs.”

The project has faced significant backlash due to the potential for extensive and lasting effects on the local environment, as well as the island’s flora and fauna. There are also worries about the possible displacement of indigenous communities and the disturbance of the island’s distinctive ecology.

The minister replied by saying that the central government’s approval is in line with the government’s policies and programs. This includes incorporating sufficient mitigation measures to offset the impact of development on the island, as per the Environmental Clearance conditions.

“The conditions stipulated under the Environmental Clearance (EC) have provisions for preparation of Biodiversity Conservation and Management Plan for the Great Nicobar Island ecosystem with inputs from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), and the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE),” Yadav said.