Great Nicobar Project

Context- The ambitious Rs 72,000 crore Great Nicobar project could cut down 9.64 lakh trees  to build a transhipment port, an international airport and a 450 MVA gas and solar power plant on Great Nicobar Island.

Key Highlights 

• Instead of trees being chopped, compensatory afforestation is being  carried out in Haryana as “plantation area in Andaman and Nicobar  is very limited”. 
• 15 percent of the development area will be left green and open, which can reduce the number of trees cut down. 
• Regarding the possible loss of diversity, various conservation agencies are preparing a plan for the protection or management of biological diversity. 

Great Nicobar Development Plan 

• Timeline: In 2022, the state granted an environmental permit to the project, which will be implemented in stages over the next 30 years. 
• Organizations: The project is managed by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO) according to the vision plan designed by  NITI Aayog.  
• Estimated price: 72,000 rubles. 

Significance (government rationale) 

• Its strategic location offers access to global trade. 
• The island is located next to the Strait of Malacca, the largest choke point in the Indian Ocean. 
•  And its southern tip, Indira Point, is close to a major international sea route that carries about 20 to 25 percent of global maritime trade and 35 percent of the world’s oil reserves. 
• A strong presence on the island is of geopolitical importance as foreigners gain a diplomatic and military foothold with neighboring countries in the important Indian Ocean region. 
• This project will enhance the socio-economic growth of the local population and improve connectivity to mainland India and other global cities. 
• Clean beaches, lush evergreen rainforests, picturesque hills are tourist destinations that attract sophisticated travelers. 

Serious concerns raised 

• • Environment and ecology: 
    • The island was declared a biosphere reserve in 1989, and  in 2013 it was added to the  Man and Biosphere program of UNESCO. 
    • As a result of the project, 15 percent of the forest area will be cleared and  9.64 lakh trees will be felled in a phased manner. 
    • The island is home to many endemic plant and animal species that are endangered. 
    • According to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, replacement afforestation needs to be carried out in Haryana and Madhya Pradesh due to loss of mangrove cover. 
    • But remote afforestation, even in areas without ecological comparison, does not make sense.  
    • The project will destroy huge areas of coral reefs. The EIA report recommends “transplanting” these organisms. However, transplanted corals do not have a high survival rate.  

• Geological: 

• • •  The region is exposed to severe natural disasters. 
    • The island is located near the Ring of Fire and near the epicenter of the  Indian Ocean earthquake in 2004, which moved the seabed vertically by 10-20 meters. 

• About tribes: 

• • The large Nicobar Island has a population of about 8,000. Once completed, the project is expected to attract nearly 3 million people, equivalent to the current population of the entire 1,000-kilometer island chain.  
  • This project is against the rights of indigenous vulnerable tribal communities like Nicobarese and Shompen.  
  • More than three quarters of the island is designated as a tribal reserve under the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Protection of Indigenous Tribes) Amendment Ordinance, 1956. 
  • This means that the land is  for the exclusive use of the community and others cannot access the area. without their express permission. 

Conclusions 

• GDP growth should be reconsidered if it leads to an irreversible loss of natural capital. 
• As the Great Nicobar Project progresses, the delicate balance between development and ecological conservation is being closely monitored. 
• Government assurances on biodiversity protection and replacement afforestation are under review as stakeholders and environmentalists closely monitor the implementation of the project.

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