Demand for Review of Great Nicobar Project Gains Momentum with Over 210,000 Signatures in India

In India, an online petition has been initiated urging the central government to reconsider various development projects underway in the Great Nicobar Island. As of Saturday evening, over 210,000 individuals have signed the petition expressing worries about the widespread deforestation and advocating for the adoption of long-term and alternative measures for the island's development. The central government has formulated plans to construct major infrastructure projects in the Great Nicobar Island, located in the southernmost region of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. These plans include the establishment of an international transshipment container terminal, a greenfield airport, a new town (township), and a power plant. Various scientists, social scientists, conservationists, and former officials have raised serious concerns about the project. They have criticized the government for underestimating the number of trees to be cut, having incomplete environmental impact assessments, ignoring local community dissent, and allegedly bypassing legal provisions related to forest rights. According to the petition, the project is expected to lead to the destruction of rainforests spread over 130 square kilometers and the felling of around 960,000 trees. Some experts suggest that the number of trees to be cut could even reach up to 1 million. Furthermore, the construction of a port in the southern (eastern) part of the island, known for its biological diversity in the Galathea Bay, has raised significant concerns about its potential negative impact. The preliminary infrastructure projects have also raised apprehensions about the displacement of indigenous Shompen and Nicobarese communities and the adverse effects on their way of life. Critics argue that the projects have been proposed without adequate environmental, social, and economic impact assessments in a region prone to seismic activity and at high risk of tsunamis. The petition states, "This project seems to prioritize urban development and hotels, neglecting the serious environmental and social damages that could be caused. The endeavor for economic development should not overlook the severe environmental and social harms." Former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam's vision for comprehensive rural development strategy has been cited in support of the petition. The petition has been addressed to President Draupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the National Board for Wildlife.