Congress Demands Review of Great Nicobar Mega Infra Project

The Congress has termed the Great Nicobar infrastructure project as an ''environmental and humanitarian disaster,'' urging a thorough impartial review by parliamentary committees. Concerns were raised over a high-powered committee's reclassification of the land, calling into question the legitimacy of its decision and demanding transparency in the process.

The Congress on Sunday labeled the proposed Great Nicobar infrastructure project as an “environmental and humanitarian disaster,” calling for a thorough, impartial review from parliamentary committees.

Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary, referenced a media report on X revealing that a high-powered committee (HPC), set by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to reassess green clearance for the Great Nicobar project, stated that a proposed transshipment port is now categorized as ICRZ-IB, where ports are permitted, rather than ICRZ-IA, where they are prohibited.

Ramesh criticized the manipulation of land categorization and called for transparency in the activities of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO) and the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM). He highlighted the need for the HPC and NCSCM reports to be made public to ensure a fair review process.