NEW DELHI
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday sharply criticised Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav over the Great Nicobar mega infrastructure project, accusing the Union government of ignoring ecological, tribal, and humanitarian concerns. Responding to Yadav’s earlier remarks accusing Congress of indulging in “negative politics,” Ramesh said highlighting potential environmental disasters cannot be dismissed as political point-scoring.
Ramesh questioned the lack of consultation with the National Commission on Scheduled Tribes before project approval and raised concerns over the displacement of Nicobarese and Shompen communities. He highlighted that the project, which involves diversion of large tracts of old-growth rainforest, threatens endangered species including leatherback turtles, megapodes, saltwater crocodiles, and rich coral systems.
The Congress leader criticised compensatory afforestation plans In distant Haryana, calling them inadequate for offsetting the loss of the island’s unique ecosystems. He also questioned why the Tribal Council of Great Nicobar’s concerns were disregarded and why critical documents, such as reports on the transshipment port’s CRZ reclassification, remain unpublished. Ramesh warned that the project’s location in a high-seismic zone, along with the island’s history of subsidence during the 2004 tsunami, raises serious questions about its sustainability. He emphasised that the Forest Rights Act recognises the Shompen as legal guardians of tribal reserves, yet their authority is being ignored.
Yadav, defending the project, said it is vital for national security and strategic connectivity in the Indian Ocean Region, adding that only 1.78% of Great Nicobar’s forest area will be used. He argued the development will create an international container transshipment terminal, greenfield airport, power plant, and township spanning 16 sq km. The dispute underscores the tension between strategic infrastructure ambitions and environmental and tribal rights, with Congress demanding greater transparency and accountability.