The Great Nicobar Project: A Case Study in the Conflict Between Mega-Development and Socio-Environmental Governance
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Environment (Protected Areas - Biosphere Reserve, CRZ, PVTGs); Indian Polity and Governance (Key Legislations - FRA 2006, Land Acquisition Act 2013; Constitutional Bodies - NCST); Geography (Andaman & Nicobar, Seismic Zones).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 1 (Society/Geography): Social empowerment, tribal issues; Changes in critical geographical features.
General Studies Paper 2 (Polity/Governance): Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections; Mechanisms, laws, and institutions for the protection of vulnerable sections; Government policies and interventions.
General Studies Paper 3 (Environment/Economy): Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment; Infrastructure.
Key Highlights from the News
The article strongly argues that the Great Nicobar mega-infrastructure project (₹72,000 crores) in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands poses a significant threat to the indigenous tribal communities and the environment there.
This project is likely to permanently displace the Nicobarese tribe and especially the vulnerable Shompen (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group - PVTG) tribe residing there, from their ancestral land.
The article alleges that several legal and constitutional safeguards were violated for the project:
Provisions of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, and the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 were not followed.
No consultation was held with the constitutional body, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).
Consent from the local Tribal Council was obtained under pressure, which they later withdrew.
Environmental Impacts: Felling hundreds of thousands of trees will destroy a unique rainforest ecosystem. The compensatory afforestation (compensatory forestation) being done in Haryana as an alternative is unscientific and insufficient.
The port is being constructed in violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) 1A rules.
Such a massive project is being implemented in a region with very high earthquake and tsunami risks (seismically sensitive zone).
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