Why has NGT cleared the Nicobar project?, Pg13

Key Highlights:

• The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has cleared the Great Nicobar Island project, an integrated infrastructure plan estimated at ₹80,000-90,000 crore.
• The project includes an International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT), a 450 MVA power plant, a large-scale township, and an international airport.
• It requires diverting 130.75 square kilometers of forest land and is projected to generate over 1.28 lakh jobs by 2052.
• The government argues the project is a national necessity due to its strategic location near the Malacca Strait.

Detailed Insights:

• The Great Nicobar Island project aims to establish a major cargo transshipment hub to enhance India's role in the global maritime economy and reduce reliance on foreign ports.
• Concerns exist regarding the project's impact on the island's biodiversity, including coral reefs, nesting grounds for the Leatherback Sea Turtle, and habitats of the Nicobar Megapode and Saltwater Crocodile.
• The NGT adopted a "balanced approach," weighing environmental safeguards against national security interests, and accepted findings that coral translocation would be effective.
• The project's regulatory journey began in May 2021, with clearances challenged in multiple rounds of litigation, focusing on coral conservation, environmental data adequacy, and zoning violations.
• The island is inhabited by the Shompen and Nicobari tribes, whose habitat rights are to be protected under the Forest Rights Act, with ANIIDCO providing funds for tribal welfare.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): A process to evaluate the environmental consequences of a proposed project.
• Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ): Regulations governing activities along the coastline to protect coastal environments.
• Transshipment Hub: A port where cargo is transferred from one vessel to another for onward transportation.