GREAT NICOBAR PROJECT (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: A group of experts have written to the National Commission of Scheduled Tribes (NCST) highlighting how the Great Nicobar Project will be harmful for the region’s indigenous population.

Great Nicobar Project

• About: The GNI project is a significant endeavor slated for the southern Andaman and Nicobar islands.

oIt encompasses diverse elements such as an international container trans-shipment terminal, an airport, township development, and a substantial power plant spanning 16,610 hectares.

• Project Components: The project entails a trans-shipment port at Galathea Bay, valued at ₹35,000 crore.

oAdditionally, it includes the establishment of a dual-use military-civilian international airport, a power plant, and a township.

• Participation in Global Maritime Economy: According to the NITI Aayog report, the proposed port will enable Great Nicobar to participate in the regional and global maritime economy by becoming a major player in cargo transshipment.
• Environmental Concerns:

o Environmentalists have raised alarm over the project's potential impact on the fragile ecology of the region.

o Loss of tree cover, alongside resulting runoff and sedimentation in the ocean, could detrimentally affect local flora, fauna, and coral reefs.

o The project's development also poses a threat to the island's mangrove ecosystems, further exacerbating environmental concerns.