The Great Nicobar infrastructure project was granted statutory environmental, forest and coastal clearances after observing “meticulous due diligence” and after adhering to all rules and regulations.
Great Nicobar Project:
Includes the construction of a transshipment port, international airport, power plant, township, and associated infrastructure on Great Nicobar Island.
Granted environmental, forest, and coastal clearances by the Union Environment Ministry in 2022 after thorough due diligence.
Regulatory Framework:
Island Coastal Zone Regulation (ICRZ) 2019: Governs coastal development, including restrictions on port construction in Coastal Regulation Zone - IA (CRZ-IA).
Project: Aimed at holistic development including a container terminal, township, a gas and solar-based power plant, and an airport.
Government’s Position: Minister Bhupender Yadav emphasized the project’s compliance with environmental norms and strategic importance, with clearances withstanding legal scrutiny by the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
NGT Committee’s Findings: No part of the project falls under CRZ-IA, where port construction is prohibited.
Geographical Context
Location: Great Nicobar, the southernmost and largest Nicobar Island, is a 910-sq-km tropical rainforest area in the southeastern Bay of Bengal.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands consist of 836 islands divided into the Andaman and Nicobar groups, separated by the Ten Degree Channel.
The Great Nicobar ‘Holistic Development’ Project was conceived by the NITI Aayog and the key plan includes construction of an international container transshipment terminal; township and area development, a 450 MVA gas and solar-based power plant, an airport for civilian and defence use.
