Great Nicobar project must be halted in national interest, says Congress

The Congress on Friday called for the Great Nicobar Island development project to be abandoned, accusing the Modi government of pursuing an environmentally damaging venture despite continuing legal and ecological concerns.

Congress communications chief and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh described the proposed development as a “grave ecological folly” and said protecting the island was in both the local and national interest.

“There seems to be no end to the march of grave ecological folly in Great Nicobar,” Ramesh said in a post on X.

The Great Nicobar Island Development Project envisages a transshipment port, an international airport and extensive tourism infrastructure. Ramesh alleged that the project was being “bulldozed through” after environmental and forest clearances were granted in violation of established rules, procedures and guidelines.

He also pointed to five separate challenges being heard by the Calcutta High Court, describing the Centre as “unmindful, unconcerned and unmoved” by the objections surrounding the project.

Ramesh further cited plans announced by the local administration on 10 August to establish large, energy-intensive data centres in notified areas around Little Andaman and Great Nicobar.

The proposals were withdrawn within a fortnight for “administrative reasons”. Calling the reversal mysterious, Ramesh expressed hope that the decision would be permanent.

He also shared a media report stating that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration had withdrawn an Expression of Interest inviting feasibility proposals for a private sector-led green artificial intelligence data centre on the islands.

“The public battle for saving Great Nicobar continues even though the Modi government is now ‘planting’ new reasons for going ahead with it,” Ramesh said. “Genuine local and national interest demands that the project not be taken forward.”

The Congress has consistently opposed the project in its present form, arguing that it is largely a commercial enterprise that could inflict irreversible damage on Great Nicobar’s forests, wildlife and unique biodiversity.

With PTI inputs