Govt Approves Great Nicobar Project Amid Tight Environmental Safeguards

The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change announced on Monday that the decision to proceed with the Great Nicobar Island project was made after thorough evaluation of its environmental impacts alongside its strategic, defense, and national importance.

As per the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification of 2006, and its subsequent amendments, prior environmental clearance is mandatory for all new projects, activities, or modernization of existing ones listed in the notification’s schedule. This process involves assessing project impacts and developing an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) through stages such as screening, scoping, public consultation, and appraisal.

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The ministry stated that multiple studies were undertaken to assess environmental impacts and propose mitigation strategies. These studies were conducted by statutory and non-statutory bodies, including the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), as part of the EIA/EMP process. Specialist organisations such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), and the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) were also involved during the appraisal process.

The project appraisal underwent detailed scrutiny by an independent Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) comprising experts in science and engineering. Environmental clearance was granted with 42 specific conditions aimed at safeguarding marine and terrestrial biodiversity.

To ensure effective implementation of the Environmental Management Plan, three independent monitoring committees have been established, each focusing on:

1. Pollution-related matters,
2. Biodiversity-related issues, and
3. Welfare concerns of the Shompen and Nicobarese communities.

Additionally, a High-Power Committee (HPC) was constituted by the Ministry in compliance with the National Green Tribunal’s directive dated April 3, 2023.

This information was provided by Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

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