The making of an ecological disaster in the Nicobar
Context
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Project Cost: ₹72,000 crore
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Location: Great Nicobar Island, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
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Objective: Infrastructure development including port, airport, power plants, etc.
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Criticism: Disregard for tribal rights, ecological damage, flawed processes.
Tribal Rights and Displacement
Indigenous Communities Affected
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Nicobarese Tribe
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Scheduled Tribe; displaced by 2004 tsunami.
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Ancestral land falls within project area.
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Forced to permanently abandon hope of return.
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Shompen Tribe
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Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
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Dependent on forest and isolated lifestyle.
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Project denotifies part of their reserve.
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Likely to be cut off from ancestral lands and livelihood.
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Legal and Constitutional Safeguards Violated
| Provision | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Article 338-A | Mandates consultation with National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) | Not followed |
| Forest Rights Act, 2006 | Recognizes forest dwellers’ rights; mandates Gram Sabha consultation | Ignored |
| RFCTLARR Act, 2013 | Requires Social Impact Assessment (SIA) and tribal stakeholder inclusion | Tribals excluded from SIA |
| Shompen Policy (MoTA) | Prioritizes welfare and integrity of Shompen in development | Violated |
Tribal Council Issues
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Tribal Council’s Letter of No Objection (LNO) was revoked.
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Chairman alleged they were pressured into signing.
Environmental Concerns
Deforestation and Biodiversity Loss
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Official estimate: 8.5 lakh trees to be felled.
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Independent estimates: 32–58 lakh trees could be lost.
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Affects 15% of island’s land area.
Flawed Compensatory Afforestation
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Planned in Haryana — ecologically incompatible.
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25% of afforestation land auctioned for mining.
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Compensatory afforestation ≠ restoration of biodiversity-rich rainforests.
Violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Norms
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Port location overlaps with CRZ 1A, where construction is prohibited.
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CRZ 1A contains:
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Turtle nesting sites
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Coral reefs
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National Green Tribunal (NGT) raised concerns.
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High-Powered Committee (HPC) reclassified CRZ zones — report not public.
Scientific and Methodological Flaws
Biodiversity Assessment Issues
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Assessment of turtle nesting sites conducted during off-season.
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Dugong surveys using drones — ineffective in deep waters.
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Primatologists warned about risk to Nicobar long-tailed macaque.
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Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) conducted under possible duress.
Seismic and Disaster Vulnerability
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2004 Tsunami: Led to 15-foot permanent land subsidence.
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Recent Earthquake (July 2025): Magnitude 6.2 in the region.
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Project site is seismically sensitive — high investment and human risk.
Critical Analysis
Legal and Ethical Issues
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Bypassing of constitutional/statutory bodies.
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Marginalization of vulnerable tribal voices.
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Weak application of due process and legal frameworks.
Environmental Justice Perspective
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Undermining of sustainable development goals (SDGs).
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Contradiction with India’s climate commitments and biodiversity targets.
Governance Failure
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Lack of transparency and public participation.
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Institutionalised disregard for scientific advice and expert warnings.
Way Forward
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Immediate halt to project execution until:
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Proper tribal consent obtained.
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Independent ecological and seismic assessments are redone.
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Transparent publication of HPC report and EIA findings.
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Consider alternative locations for infrastructure away from ecologically and culturally sensitive zones.
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Uphold the rights of PVTGs and STs in accordance with the Constitution.
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Strengthen public hearings and include:
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Civil society organisations
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Environmental experts
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Tribal representatives
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