Jairam Ramesh spoke on the U-turn of the Central Government on the Great Nicobar Project, wrote a letter to Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav and raised many questions.

New Delhi: Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh has questioned the approval given to the mega infra project in Great Nicobar Island. Jairam Ramesh has written another letter to Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav asking him/her to reconsider this. The Congress general secretary has also expressed reservations over the conduct, composition and findings of a high-powered committee (HPC) assigned to reconsider the environmental clearance to the Great Nicobar Islands project.

Why did Jairam Ramesh write the letter?
Jairam Ramesh said the Union Environment Ministry’s denial that any part of the Nicobar project area falls within the coastal zones restricted for construction was a dramatic U-turn. he/she asked whether the new facts presented can be believed? The environment ministry of the central government had said in its report that the approval given for the Great Nicobar Island Infrastructure Project did not violate the Island Coastal Regulation Zone (ICRZ) Notification, 2019. It also said that the NGT orders to reconsider the environmental clearance of the project have been complied with. It was only after this clarification from the government that Jairam Ramesh wrote a letter to Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav.Jairam Ramesh raised many questions
Ramesh said he/she was surprised that despite the flexibility given by the NGT, the HPC did not consult any independent institute or experts. The HPC included members of NITI Aayog who conceived the project, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation which was implementing the project and the Environment Ministry which had given the approval.

Jairam Ramesh said the HPC also watered down the NGT’s directions and did not conduct any meaningful and comprehensive re-evaluation of the project clearance and environmental issues. Furthermore, he/she also questioned the ministry’s logic in keeping the HPC report secret. Ramesh said that I do not understand, when the very process of granting the approval was not classified as ‘privileged and confidential’, then how can a review, however flawed, and that too, be mandated by the court, be allowed? types can be classified.

This was a matter of serious concern – Jairam Ramesh
The HPC, formed on the orders of the NGT, was headed by the Secretary of the Union Environment Ministry. he/she was entrusted with the task of reconsidering the environmental clearance of the project. It was also mandated to address and investigate issues such as questions on coral colony conservation and inadequate baseline data for environmental impact studies. There were also questions about whether components of the project fell within prohibited ICRZ-IA ecologically sensitive coastal areas.

Referring to an expression issued by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Administration on enumeration, logging and felling of trees for the project, Ramesh said it was a matter of grave concern. While the NGT considers the petitions before it, ANIIDCO (Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation Limited) has already invited expressions of interest which is a precursor to the deforestation of about 65 sq km of biodiversity rich forest. I believe that the Government of India is determined to bring ecological and humanitarian disaster upon our country.

Environmental experts not happy with this project
The Great Nicobar Island infrastructure project includes the construction of an international container transhipment terminal, township and area development, a 450 MVA gas and solar-based power plant and an airport for civil and defense use.

Ecologists, anthropologists, parliamentarians and civil society organizations have opposed the project because of the potential adverse cultural impact it would have on the indigenous Shompen and Nicobarese people. It has also been criticized for potential ecological impacts due to the felling of over a million trees, construction around ecologically sensitive coastal areas and the influx of visitors for tourism.