• Location: Great Nicobar Island, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Project: ₹72,000 crore plan by NITI Aayog titled ‘Holistic Development of Great Nicobar Island’.
• Components: International transshipment terminal, international airport, power plant, and township.
• Implementation: By Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO).

ECOLOGICAL WEALTH

• Indira Point: Southernmost tip of India.
• Environment: Hilly, lush rainforests, 3,500 mm annual rainfall.
• Species: Endangered and endemic species including giant leatherback turtle, Nicobar megapode, Nicobar crake, Nicobar crab-eating macaque, and Nicobar tree shrew.
• Area: 910 sq km with mangroves and Pandan forests along the coast.

COMMUNITIES

• Tribal Communities:
  • Shompen: ~250, hunter-gatherers, Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group.
  • Nicobarese: Practise farming and fishing, resettled post-2004 tsunami, total ~1,300 on Great Nicobar.
• Settlers:
  • From mainland India and other islands, settled between 1968-1975.
  • Total population of settlers ~6,000.
  • Seven revenue villages including Campbell Bay, the administrative hub.

CONCERNS

Ecological Concerns

• Forest Land: 130 sq km diversion, 10 lakh trees to be felled.
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Denotification of Galathea Bay and Megapode wildlife sanctuaries.
• Marine Life: Galathea Bay as a key nesting site for giant leatherback turtles, listed under highest protection laws.
• Limited Surveys: Numerous species potentially undocumented.

Tribal Rights Violations

• Ancestral Lands: Some classified as “uninhabited” are ancestral lands of the Great Nicobarese.
• Consent Issues: Tribal Council withdrew NOC due to lack of transparent information and rushed consent process.
• Health Threats: Shompen’s lack of immunity to outside diseases poses a significant risk.
• Land Overlap: Shompen settlements overlap with proposed project areas.

Earthquake Risk

• Seismic Activity: Region in the “ring of fire”, category V seismic hazard zone.
• Past Earthquakes: Close to 500 quakes in the past decade.
• Disaster Management: Concerns over inadequate assessment of earthquake risk.

Conclusion

The NITI Aayog’s mega project on Great Nicobar Island has sparked significant controversy due to its potential ecological damage, violation of tribal rights, and the high risk of natural disasters. Opposition from political parties, tribal councils, and environmental groups underscores the need for a thorough and impartial review of the project to ensure sustainable and equitable development.