Daily Hot Topic
Topic : Great Nicobar Infrastructure Project: Legal Challenges
GS-3 Mains : Economy
In News: NGT receives HPC report on Great Nicobar project’s green clearance.
Great Nicobar Island:
- Southernmost tip of India, Andaman & Nicobar archipelago.
- Area: 910 sq km, annual rainfall: 3500 mm.
- Terrain: Hilly with rainforests, mangroves, Pandan forests.
- Flora & Fauna: Endangered species (leatherback turtle, Nicobar megapode, etc.), endemic species.
- Tribal Communities: Shompen (hunter-gatherers, PVTG), Nicobarese (farming, fishing).
Great Nicobar Infrastructure Project:
- NITI Aayog’s ₹72,000 crore plan.
- Implemented by ANIIDCO.
- Components: International Transshipment Terminal, International Airport, Power Plant, Township.
Legal Challenges:
- Environmental activists & CAT challenged environmental & CRZ clearances.
- Cited irreversible damage to biodiversity, inadequate EIA, issues in clearance process.
- Concerns over impact on Shompen & Nicobarese tribes, alleged conflicts of interest.
- Project covers 166 sq km, including felling of 130.75 sq km forests.
- Pending NGT petitions: Challenging project parts in ecologically sensitive areas, NGT order non-compliance.
NGT’s Actions:
- Revisited project’s green clearance.
- Formed HPC, concluded transshipment port outside ICRZ-IA.
- Special bench didn’t interfere with forest clearance but acknowledged deficiencies.
Calcutta High Court Case:
- CAT filed writ petition against NGT special bench order.
- Challenged NGT’s jurisdiction on forest clearance.
- Argued case should be handled by eastern zone, not special bench.
Conclusion:
- Project linked to economic & strategic interests (Indian Ocean, Malacca Strait).
- Needs thorough, impartial review.
हिन्दी