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NGT Okays Great Nicobar Mega Project Amid Green Concerns
16 Feb
Summary
- NGT dismissed challenges to the Great Nicobar project, citing adequate safeguards.
- The ₹80,000-crore project involves diverting 130 sq km of rainforest.
- Ecological concerns include turtle nesting sites and coral reefs.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has disposed of challenges to the extensive Great Nicobar mega infrastructure project, stating there were "adequate safeguards" in its environmental clearance (EC). The project, valued at over ₹80,000 crore, aims to develop a 166 sq km area, necessitating the diversion of 130 sq km of tropical rainforest.
Key components include an international transhipment port, an integrated township, a civil and military airport, and a gas- and solar-based power plant. Great Nicobar Island, while strategically vital due to its proximity to the Malacca Strait, also harbors significant ecological value.
It serves as a crucial nesting site for giant leatherback turtles and hosts thousands of coral reefs, raising concerns about its sensitive ecosystem. The island's seismic activity, falling within Zone VI, adds another layer of complexity to development plans.
Concerns have been raised regarding the compensatory afforestation in Haryana's Aravali districts, as these dry forests may not fully replace the ecological value lost from the island's dense evergreen rainforests. This highlights the ongoing debate between development needs and environmental preservation.
The article also touches upon broader forest management challenges in India, including recurring forest fires, the impact of invasive alien species like Lantana camara, and the environmental implications of monoculture plantations, which are more prone to fire and less effective at carbon sequestration.
Furthermore, the diversion of forest land for infrastructure projects, such as the Versova-Bhayandar DP road impacting mangroves, underscores the scale of these challenges. The evolution of India's forest governance framework, from colonial-era laws emphasizing state control to more recent policies recognizing community rights, is discussed.
The Forest (Conservation) Act was amended in 2023 to potentially limit its scope, while initiatives like the Green India Mission aim to increase forest cover. Addressing these issues requires robust early-warning systems for fires, continuous ecological monitoring, and engaging local communities in forest management.
