PM Modi marching to ‘environmental disaster’ in Great Nicobar: Congress

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday stepped up his criticism of the Centre's Great Nicobar Island Project, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of leading an "onward march to environmental disaster" and warning that the nation's "ecological conscience is on trial".

Sharing a compilation of his interventions on the project over the past few years, the former Union environment minister said the proposed development would have devastating consequences for the biodiversity-rich ecosystem of Great Nicobar Island.

"There has been interest in accessing my extensive public engagement over the past few years on the Great Nicobar Island Project and its devastating impacts on that unique biodiversity-rich ecosystem," Ramesh wrote on X, sharing an anthology of his social media posts, parliamentary interventions and correspondence with Union ministers.

He said the campaign against the project would continue as the government pressed ahead despite legal challenges.

"There will undoubtedly be more such public engagements as the prime minister continues the onward march to environmental disaster in Great Nicobar... The nation's ecological conscience is on trial," he said.

Ramesh pointed out that five petitions challenging various aspects of the project are currently pending before the Calcutta High Court. These include alleged violations of Eco-Sensitive Zone notifications around Campbell Bay National Park and Galathea National Park, the Forest Rights Act, 2006, the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2019, the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and an order of the National Green Tribunal dated 16 February 2026.

The Congress leader has repeatedly questioned the environmental clearance process and the proposed transhipment port at Galathea Bay. Last week, he wrote to Union Ports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal seeking clarifications on the port component of the project.

Ramesh has also written to Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav, tribal affairs minister Jual Oram, and defence minister Rajnath Singh, alleging that the project's environmental impact assessment is "demonstrably dubious" and warning that it could trigger widespread ecological damage, including the destruction of coral reefs.

He has further urged the defence ministry to reconsider the rejection of the full expansion of the INS Baaz runway and asked the Tribal Affairs Ministry to ensure strict implementation of the Forest Rights Act for indigenous communities affected by the project.

The Congress has consistently opposed the Great Nicobar development plan, arguing that the proposed transhipment port in Galathea Bay threatens one of India's most ecologically sensitive regions.

Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had dismissed the government's argument that the project was driven by strategic and defence considerations.

"The government's argument that the project is about defence and a transhipment port is a lie," Rahul Gandhi had said, alleging that the project was intended to benefit "one businessman" through commercial developments such as hotels and casinos.

Rahul Gandhi had also released a video following his visit to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, urging citizens to support a petition calling on the government to "choose green over greed".

With PTI inputs