Great Nicobar project a recipe for ecological disaster: Jairam Ramesh

The Central government has been asserting strategic national interest as the primary justification for proceeding with the Holistic Development of Great Nico...

What Happened

The Central government has been asserting strategic national interest as the primary justification for proceeding with the Holistic Development of Great Nicobar Island project, formally approved in 2021 at an estimated cost of ₹72,000–81,000 crore.
A letter addressed to the Defence Ministry by environmental experts and civil society representatives proposed alternative approaches that could serve strategic objectives while minimising ecological damage.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) cleared the project in February 2026, citing "adequate safeguards," but the matter remains under judicial scrutiny at the Calcutta High Court on Forest Rights Act grounds.
Environmental groups continue to flag concerns over irreversible biodiversity loss, displacement of a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), and inadequate baseline ecological data in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

Static Topic Bridges

Great Nicobar Island — Location and Strategic Significance

Great Nicobar is the largest and southernmost island in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. India's southernmost point, Indira Point, is located at its southern tip and lies approximately 160 km from the western entrance of the Strait of Malacca — the world's most critical maritime chokepoint, handling over 60% of global trade and over 94,000 vessel transits annually.

Situated at the junction of the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.
Commands surveillance reach over shipping lanes connecting the Persian Gulf and East Asia.
Close proximity to the Indonesian island chain gives India strategic depth in the Indo-Pacific.

Connection to this news: The infrastructure project is explicitly framed as serving dual-use (civilian and military) purposes, leveraging the island's proximity to the Strait of Malacca for maritime domain awareness and force projection.

Project Components

The project is conceived by NITI Aayog and executed by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation Limited (ANIIDCO) through a phased 30-year plan.

International Container Transshipment Terminal: Capacity of 14.2 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) at Galathea Bay; Phase 1 target of 4 million TEUs by 2028.
Greenfield International Airport: 3,300-metre runway capable of handling wide-body aircraft; designed for both civilian and military use; 4,000 peak-hour passenger capacity.
450 MVA Gas-Solar Power Plant: To supply energy needs of the entire development zone.
Township: Spanning 16,569 hectares, planned to accommodate up to 65,000 residents including workers and migrants.
Total forest diversion: approximately 130 sq km; estimated 852,000 trees to be felled.

Connection to this news: The scale and location of the project are at the centre of the debate — proponents cite the port's potential to rival Singapore and Colombo as regional transshipment hubs; critics argue the ecological cost is disproportionate to achievable strategic gain.

Ecological Concerns — Leatherback Turtles and Biodiversity

Galathea Bay, the planned port site, is one of the most important nesting grounds for the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) in the entire Indian Ocean region.

Nesting records at Galathea Bay: 649 nests (2022), 505 nests (2023), 619 nests (2024) — confirming sustained use of the site.
Over 85% of Great Nicobar is designated as a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve, home to tropical rainforests, coral reefs, and more than 1,700 endemic fauna species.
The EIA (filed as a 1,000+ page document) has been criticised for insufficient baseline ecological data and lack of disaster-risk assessment despite the island's high seismic vulnerability.

Connection to this news: Environmental experts argue the EIA does not adequately account for cumulative impacts on the island's unique biodiversity, and that mitigation measures proposed for turtles lack empirical validation.

The Shompen Tribe — A PVTG Under Threat

The Shompen are a nomadic, forest-dwelling, hunter-gatherer community classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) by the Government of India.

Current population: approximately 240 individuals — one of India's smallest and most isolated tribal communities.
Their territory extends to the mouth of Galathea Bay — the exact site of the planned port.
In 2024, 39 genocide scholars from 13 countries issued a warning that the project "will be a death sentence for the Shompen," citing vulnerability to new infectious diseases due to lack of immunity.
The Tribal Council of Great and Little Nicobar formally withdrew consent for the project in 2022; in January 2026, tribal leaders alleged administrative pressure to sign consent certificates.

Connection to this news: The strategic-interest defence used by the government does not legally override the requirements of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006 regarding free, prior, and informed consent — a central issue in the ongoing Calcutta High Court proceedings.

Environmental Clearance Process — EIA and NBWL

India's environmental governance for major projects requires clearance from two bodies: the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for Environmental Clearance, and the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) for projects in wildlife-sensitive areas.

EAC granted environmental clearance in November 2022.
NBWL clearance was also obtained; critics note that in 2021, NBWL approved all 129 proposals placed before it for diversion of wildlife-protected land.
NGT upheld the project in February 2026, noting national strategic interest.
A petition filed by retired IAS officer Meena Gupta challenges the environmental clearances and FRA compliance before the Calcutta High Court; final hearing scheduled for June 23, 2026.

Connection to this news: The dual clearance model is facing pressure from courts and experts who argue that strategic designation does not exempt infrastructure from rigorous ecological scrutiny.

Key Facts & Data

Project cost: ₹72,000–81,000 crore (approved 2021; revised estimate 2025)
Forest diversion: ~130 sq km; ~852,000 trees estimated for felling
Leatherback turtle nesting at Galathea Bay (2022–2024): 649 / 505 / 619 nests per year
Shompen population: ~240 (classified PVTG)
Distance from Indira Point to Strait of Malacca: ~160 km
NGT clearance: February 2026; Calcutta HC hearing: June 23, 2026
Implementing agency: ANIIDCO (Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation Limited)
Over 85% of Great Nicobar is a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve