Great Nicobar Island is set to undergo a significant transformation with the approval of a massive infrastructure and tourism project valued at INR 750 million (approximately US$8.9 billion). This ambitious plan aims to develop ports, airports, power plants, and residential townships, positioning the island as a strategic hub in the region.
The island is home to the Shompen and Nicobarese communities. The Shompen, classified as a particularly vulnerable tribal group, reside in the secluded inland forests. In contrast, the Nicobarese, known for their coastal lifestyle, have a rich historical presence on the island. This development threatens to disrupt their traditional ways of life, potentially displacing them and exposing them to health risks due to increased interaction with outsiders.
The project poses significant ecological threats, including the felling of approximately 900,000 trees, impacting 130 square kilometers of tropical forest. This forest is a vital habitat for unique species such as the Nicobar Shrew and Nicobar Megapode. Additionally, the project involves replacing mangrove forests with infrastructure developments like an international cargo terminal and an airport, further endangering the island's biodiversity.
Various laws, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulation of 1956 and the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act of 2006, aim to protect the Indigenous populations. However, terms like de-notification and deregulation have been used to circumvent these protections, raising concerns about the effectiveness of legal safeguards.
Strategically, developing a large port on Great Nicobar Island could provide India with significant advantages in the Bay of Bengal. It could serve as a countermeasure to the growing influence of foreign powers in the Indian Ocean, enhancing India's geopolitical standing.
Initially, the Tribal Council of Little and Great Nicobar Islands issued a no-objection certificate for the project. However, they withdrew their approval upon realizing that the project would lead to the de-notification of tribal areas, including pre-tsunami villages, to make way for non-islander settlements.
Despite controversies and procedural issues, the project received clearance from India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change under the Environmental Protection Act of 1985 and the Coastal Regulation Zone notification of 1991. Nonetheless, the sustainability of this project is questioned due to the island's active tectonic zone location, limited fresh water resources, and constrained green energy capacity, casting doubts on the long-term viability of such extensive development.
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