GREAT NICOBAR DILEMMA

In the fragile ecosystem of Nicobar, strategic development must align with constitutional commitment to protect environment, indigenous dignity

- ASHOK KUMAR RAGHAV

ON FEBRUARY 16, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) upheld environmental clearances granted to the Great Nicobar Island development project.

The ruling clears the path for a transshipment port, airport expansion, township development and allied infrastructure. But it leaves unresolved a deeper constitutional question: can large-scale transformation of a fragile island proceed without first scientifically establishing ecological and anthropological limits?

Great Nicobar is not vacant territory awaiting strategic fulfilment. It is one of India's most biologically distinctive and culturally sensitive regions. It hosts several “vulnerable” species, including the leatherback sea turtle, robber crabs, Nicobar megapode (a bird endemic to the islands) and the Nicobar long-tailed macaque, another endemic species. The largest living reptile, the saltwater crocodile, roams these islands as the apex predator. These are not just peripheral species; they are ecological sentinels of beaches, mangroves and the primary rainforest systems that have evolved over millennia in relative isolation. The archipelagic island chain is also home to the Shompen, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), and the Nicobarese community, whose lives are interwoven with forests and coast.