Jairam Ramesh Slams Great Nicobar Project as ‘Ecological Disaster’ Pushed Through by Modi Govt

Senior Congress leader and former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has sharply criticized the Modi government for pushing ahead with the controversial ₹72,000-crore Great Nicobar mega infrastructure project, calling it an "ecological disaster" and accusing the Centre of ignoring legal challenges and environmental safeguards.

According to The Hindu, Ramesh alleged that despite ongoing court cases questioning the validity of clearances and violations of tribal rights, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDC) is moving forward with calls for expressions of interest for logging, felling of trees, and land marking in the ecologically sensitive Galathea Bay area.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ramesh referred to a 2022 certification by the Andaman and Nicobar administration stating that all rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, had been settled and consent obtained for the project. However, that certification is under challenge in the Calcutta High Court.

The petition, filed by retired IAS officer Meena Gupta — a former Secretary in both the Environment and Tribal Affairs ministries — argues, as cited by PTI, that the FRA was not properly followed, and that the certification was a serious breach of the 2006 law that guarantees tribal and forest-dwelling communities their legal rights.

Ramesh noted that in a twist, the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs requested in February 2025 to be removed as a respondent from the case, raising eyebrows over its stance. However, in a contradictory move on September 8, 2025, the same ministry sought a “factual report” from the Chief Secretary of the Union Territory on alleged non-compliance with FRA provisions, based on concerns raised by the Tribal Council of Little and Great Nicobar Islands.

“The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs seems curiously ambivalent even as the challenge in the Calcutta High Court awaits a detailed hearing,” Ramesh said.

As reported by Indina Express, Apart from the FRA dispute, the environmental clearance granted to the project is also under challenge before the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Critics, including environmentalists and legal experts, have raised alarm over the project's potential impact on biodiversity, indigenous communities, and seismic risk in the area.

Despite these concerns, ANIIDC has continued to solicit interest from private parties for activities such as tree logging and land clearing. Galathea Bay, the proposed site for the development, has already been declared a major port.

The Congress party has taken a firm stand against the project. Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi earlier described the project as a “planned misadventure” and accused the government of pushing it forward in an “insensitive” manner that makes “a mockery of all legal and deliberative processes.”

She warned that the project poses an existential threat to the island’s indigenous communities and fragile ecology.

In response, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav defended the government’s actions, claiming that all necessary approvals had been secured and that the project was critical for national development.

The Great Nicobar infrastructure project includes a mega transshipment port, an airport, a power plant, and a township. Proponents argue it will boost strategic and economic presence in the Indian Ocean. However, critics fear irreversible damage to a unique ecosystem and marginalization of tribal populations.