SIA report on Great Nicobar Project claims tribal consent, large-scale tree cutting raises concerns
New Delhi: A draft Social Impact Assessment (SIA) report for the proposed Trunk Infrastructure Road in Great Nicobar Island has claimed that members of the Nicobarese and Shompen tribal communities have agreed to land diversion for the project and have acknowledged that the road construction will require cutting of trees on a large scale.
The draft SIA was published on the Directorate of Social Welfare’s website by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration. It claims the road will link all villages on the island and serve as a backbone for upcoming infrastructure including an international airport, container terminal, township and power plant under the ₹81,834 crore Great Nicobar development plan.
The road is expected to enhance connectivity, improve livelihoods and create economic opportunities as per the report. Further, according to the report, the project was not opposed by the tribals and the planned road does not conflict with their core forest zones or traditional hunting and foraging practices.
The report clearly says that the project would entail extensive tree chopping, even if it does not specify how many trees will be impacted overall. It also states that no alternative route was found feasible that would reduce land acquisition or environmental impact.
The SIA is based on consultations in six revenue villages where private land is to be acquired that includes Campbell Bay, Govind Nagar, Joginder Nagar, Vijay Nagar, Laxmi Nagar and Gandhi Nagar. A total of 80.03 hectares of private land is proposed for acquisition, while the project overall is likely to impact over 666 hectares.
The report has raised concerns among the experts. Referring to the impact of the Andaman Trunk Road on the Jarawa tribe. anthropologists have also warned that roads through ecologically sensitive zones can disrupt tribal life over time. Critics pointed out no specific details about the sections of the road passing through Tribal Reserve areas or protected forests are included in the report. Some tribal representatives also expressed that they were unaware of any such consultations.
Experts have cautioned that tribal land ownership systems which is not yet formalised in land records, are protected by law and must be respected. They have also called for clearer consent protocols and a detailed assessment of the road’s long-term ecological and cultural impact.
The draft report remains open for public feedback for 21 days. The Andaman and Nicobar Administration has not yet commented.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
