New Delhi, Sep 16:Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday expressed serious concerns over the Great Nicobar Mega Infrastructure Project, highlighting issues with the project’s environmental impact assessment and its potential threat to indigenous communities.
In a post on X, Ramesh noted that the environmental assessment was rushed, incomplete, and flawed, with further impact studies mandated only after the project had already received clearance. He warned that the project could disrupt and displace tribal communities, threatening their survival and well-being, in violation of existing regulations and policies.
Ramesh questioned the government’s plan to notify additional areas as tribal reserves to compensate for de-notified regions, calling it a misguided approach that fails to address the real needs of indigenous people. He also emphasised that afforestation in Haryana cannot replace multi-species, biodiversity-rich forests in Great Nicobar Island.
He further alleged that scientists from public institutions were pressured to submit reports favourable to the project, with some resigning rather than providing a clean chit under duress.
While proponents argue that the project will deliver economic benefits, critics including Ramesh, environmentalists, and activists warn that the environmental and social costs far outweigh potential gains. The debate over the Great Nicobar Mega Infrastructure Project continues to draw nationwide attention.