Why in news?
Recently, the draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report released for the mega development project in the Great Nicobar Island has highlighted serious concerns about submission of incorrect or incomplete information, scientific inaccuracies, and a failure to follow proper protocol.
- Terms of Reference (ToR) was finalised to prepare the EIA report in May 2021 by a committee of the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
What is it?
- NITI Aayog launched Rs.72,000 crore integrated project in Great Nicobar. The project includes the following:
- The construction of a mega port.
- A solar and gas-based power plant.
- An airport complex.
- A township spread across 130 square kilometres of pristine forest.
- The project proponent is the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation Ltd (ANIIDCO).
- From beginning, ecologists and researchers have been raising concerns about this project
Concerns about EIA report:
- Area of the island: The area is mentioned as 1,045 square kilometres in one place, while it is 910 sq. km (the current official figure) in another.
- Migratory birds: These islands are located along two globally significant bird flyways and more than 40 species of migratory birds are recorded from Great Nicobar but EIA says there are no migratory birds recorded here.
- Coral reef: The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) study shows that coral reef spread over 116 hectares in Galathea Bay. But report does not mentioned about any coral reefs.
- ZSI study shows 695 species of fauna in the island, while report mentioned only 330 species. Tables with lists of plants and animals found in the island are incomplete and with no sources provided. The information provided is in consistent or incomplete.
- The EIA report was expected to include details of the project proponent’s (ANDICO) environmental policy such as its standard operating process, procedures for identifying violation of environmental and forest norms and for ensuring compliance with environmental clearance conditions.
- The undertaking, issued by the Directorate of Tribal Welfare, this department is entrusted with the primary job of securing the rights of the indigenous people on the islands.
- It guarantees that “tribal rights will be well preserved and taken care of” and whenever any exemption from the present-day regulations/policies/law of the land are required to be provided for the execution of the project, this Directorate will seek required exemptions(s) from the competent authority to that effect”.
Great Nicobar-
- Great Nicobar is the southernmost island of the Nicobar Islands Archipelago, and it is largest of the Nicobar Islands of India, north of Sumatra.
- The island covers 1,03,870 hectares of unique and threatened tropical evergreen forest ecosystems. Indira Point is the southernmost point of the Great Nicobar Island and India itself.
- The island has several rivers, such as the Alexandra, Amrit Kaur, Dogmar and Galathea.
- It is home to a very rich ecosystem, including 650 species of angiosperms, ferns, gymnosperms, bryophytes, among others. In terms of fauna, there are over 1800 species, some of which are endemic to this area. Island is the part of rain forest ecoregion, it contain mangroves and coastal forests near the seashore, and evergreen and deciduous forests in the interior.
- The majority of the island is designated as the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve-
- Nicobar scrubfowl (Megapodius nicobariensis, a megapode bird).
- Edible-nest swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus).
- Nicobar long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis umbrosa).
- Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus).
- Giant leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea).
- Malayan box turtle. o Nicobar tree shrew.
- Reticulated python (Python reticulatus).
- Giant robber crab (or coconut crab, Birgus latro).
- The Mongoloid Shompen Tribe, live in the forests of the biosphere reserve particularly along the rivers and streams.
- Another Mongoloid Tribe, Nicobarese, used to live in settlements along the west coast. After the tsunami in 2004, which devastated their settlement on the western coast, they were relocated to Afra Bay in the North Coast and Campbell Bay.