Jairam Ramesh, a senior Congress leader and former Environment Minister, has voiced strong concerns regarding the Great Nicobar Island Development project, calling it an "ecological disaster" that the current government is pushing forward despite environmental clearances being challenged in court.
Ramesh stated that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDC) has recently invited expressions of interest for activities like enumeration, tree felling, logging, and land marking within the project area. He argues that the project is being "bulldozed through" even though the environmental clearances are under scrutiny in the courts.
The Congress leader highlighted a certification from August 18, 2022, by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration, which claimed that all individual and community rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006, had been identified, settled, and consent obtained for the project. However, this certification is now being challenged in the Calcutta High Court by Meena Gupta, a retired IAS officer who previously served as a Secretary in both the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests and the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs. Gupta's petition argues that the FRA was not followed correctly and that the certification represents a serious violation of the law.
Adding to the controversy, Ramesh pointed out that the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs had requested to be removed from the list of respondents in the case in February 2025. However, in a seemingly contradictory move on September 8, 2025, the same ministry sought a "factual report" from the Chief Secretary of the Union Territory regarding alleged non-compliance with FRA provisions, based on concerns raised by the Tribal Council of Little and Great Nicobar Islands.
The Great Nicobar Island project, estimated at ₹72,000-crore, involves the construction of a transhipment port, an international airport, a township, and a power plant, spanning over 160 sq km. This development would include approximately 130 sq km of pristine forest, which is home to the Nicobarese, a Scheduled Tribe (ST), and the Shompens, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) whose population is estimated to be between 200 and 300. Concerns have been raised that the project could significantly threaten the habitat and rights of these vulnerable tribal groups.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change stated in November 2024 that the decision regarding the Great Nicobar Island project was taken after careful consideration of potential environmental impacts and the strategic, defense, and national importance of the developmental projects. According to the ministry, the environmental clearance includes 42 specific conditions to safeguard marine and terrestrial biodiversity. Three independent monitoring committees have been established to oversee the implementation of the Environmental Management Plan. Additionally, a High-Power Committee (HPC) was constituted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in compliance with the National Green Tribunal's order dated April 3, 2023.
