Congress questions Centre’s ‘U-turn’ over Great Nicobar project petitions

• Congress criticises the Centre’s bid to halt high court proceedings on challenges to the Great Nicobar project

• Jairam Ramesh says a petition concerning tribal forest rights is scheduled for final hearing on 25–26 November

• The party raises concerns over environmental approvals, ecological damage and safeguards for local tribal communities

The Congress on Wednesday criticised the Union government’s move to seek a Supreme Court stay on proceedings concerning the Great Nicobar Island Project in the Calcutta High Court, describing it as an “astonishing U-turn”.

Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said the Centre had previously agreed to a November hearing on a challenge involving the Forest Rights Act, 2006, but was now seeking to halt the proceedings.

In a social media post, Ramesh shared a media report on the government’s application to the Supreme Court. The report concerned petitions questioning whether the consent obtained for the Rs 92,000-crore project complied with the Forest Rights Act.

The former environment minister said five petitions filed by citizens and civil society groups were pending before the Calcutta High Court. One concerned breaches of the law protecting the forest rights of local tribal communities, with its final hearing scheduled for 25 and 26 November.

According to Ramesh, the Supreme Court is likely to hear the Centre’s stay application on 5 October.

He also criticised the project’s environmental and forest approvals, questioning the credibility of its impact assessments. He noted that its estimated cost had risen from Rs 72,000 crore to Rs 92,000 crore.

Ramesh said the high court had upheld the right of one petitioner, a former senior official who had served in both the Union environment and tribal affairs ministries, to challenge the project. The Centre had disputed her right to bring the case and was now advancing the same argument before the Supreme Court, he said.

He expressed hope that the Supreme Court would allow the high court hearings to proceed as scheduled. Ramesh also warned that work was continuing despite the pending petitions, describing the project as an “ecological disaster”.

The Congress has repeatedly questioned the environmental consequences of the proposed transhipment port at Galathea Bay, including the potential destruction of coral colonies.

Ramesh also referred to his engagement with four Union ministers over the project. He has urged defence minister Rajnath Singh to reconsider the rejection of a full expansion of the INS Baaz runway and asked tribal affairs minister Jual Oram to ensure that the Forest Rights Act is implemented in both letter and spirit.

With PTI inputs