The Great Nicobar project and a Ministry in knots, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• The Union Environment Ministry admitted the Great Nicobar mega infrastructure project will significantly impact the island's biodiversity.
• The project, with an investment of ₹92,000 crore, includes a transshipment port, airport, power plant, tourism project, and township.
• Galathea Bay, the project's centerpiece, has over 20,000 coral colonies, over 50 Nicobar Megapode nesting mounds, and is an active Giant Leatherback turtle nesting site.
• The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) denotified the Galathea Bay Wildlife Sanctuary in 2021, initially proposed in 1997 to protect the region's biodiversity.

andaman_and_nicobar_islands_map

Detailed Insights:

• The Environment Ministry faces scrutiny for allowing the project despite its own mandate for conservation and protection, presenting mitigation measures as a solution.
• Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ)-1A areas, including mangroves, corals, and turtle nesting beaches, are typically off-limits for large construction projects, raising concerns about the project's location.
• An NGT order in April 2023 noted the presence of 20,668 coral colonies at the port site, which falls under CRZ-1A, where port construction is prohibited.
• The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) concluded that no part of the project area fell under CRZ-1A, based on a survey and clarification from the Andaman and Nicobar Forest Department.
• Data from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Forest Department indicates over 600 leatherback nestings in Galathea Bay during the 2024 nesting season, highlighting the area's ecological importance.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Denotification: The act of removing the protected status of an area, allowing for development or other activities.
• Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ): Areas along the coast regulated by the government to protect the environment and prevent unsustainable development.
• Mitigation Measures: Actions taken to reduce or offset the negative environmental impacts of a project.