The article, “A project of a strategic and national importance”, by the Union Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, published on September 12, 2025 merits a response even as the debate continues on the ecological devastation that the Great Nicobar mega infrastructure project will cause.
First, the environmental impact assessment conducted was rushed, incomplete and flawed. The fact that further impact studies have been mandated after the project has been granted clearance shows up its limitations. It is surprising that the assessment began even before terms of reference for it were issued.
Second, the project will, without any doubt, disrupt and displace the tribal communities of Great Nicobar and threaten their survival and well-being. This would go against all extant regulations, polices and laws. Video reports of experts who have spent their entire professional lives studying the Shompen and the Nicobarese have been completely ignored.
Third, the idea that notifying additional areas as tribal reserve will compensate for the areas being de-notified indicates a lack of understanding about the needs of the indigenous people as well as the bio-geophysical heterogeneity of Great Nicobar.
Fourth, ecologically, planting trees in Haryana (which needs to be done anyway) will just not compensate for clear-felling of multi-species, biodiversity-rich forests in the Great Nicobar Island. It is really a bogus equivalence.
Fifth, scientists in public institutions themselves have spoken about being asked to provide reports favourable to the project, with some even having to resign due to pressure to provide a clean chit to the project.
Jairam Ramesh,
New Delhi
Published – September 16, 2025 12:24 am IST