Centre seeks ‘factual report’ on tribal council’s objections to Great Nicobar project
New Delhi: The Union government has asked the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration to submit a detailed factual report on concerns raised by the Tribal Council of Little and Great Nicobar regarding diversion of forest land for the ₹81,000-crore Great Nicobar Island project.
According to a report published by The Hindu, a letter was sent on Monday (September 8), the Ministry of Tribal Affairs directed the Chief Secretary of the Union Territory to respond point by point to issues flagged in a recent complaint and media reports. The Tribal Council has alleged that forest rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, were not settled before nearly 13,000 hectares of forest land were diverted in August 2022.
The Council said its consent had been obtained “under pressure” and later withdrawn in writing. It also contested an August 2022 certificate issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Nicobar, which stated that the process of identifying and settling rights under the FRA had been completed. The Council maintains that no such process has been initiated.
The Andaman and Nicobar administration, in its monthly reports to the Ministry, has argued that the FRA need not be implemented in the Islands since tribal rights are already protected under the Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Act, 1956 (PAT56). While PAT56 gives the administration authority to divert forest land, the FRA requires Gram Sabha consent after recognition and vesting of rights.
According to the Tribal Council, affected Nicobarese families were not represented in the Gram Sabha meeting of 2022. The council also objected to Shompen tribespeople being represented by officials of the Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti.
The National Green Tribunal and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes have also raised questions over compliance with consent procedures and environmental safeguards.
Congress leaders have also intervened. Rahul Gandhi recently wrote to Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram urging a review of the Council’s concerns, while Sonia Gandhi described the project as a “planned misadventure.”
The government has maintained that due process was followed in granting forest clearances. Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court is hearing a petition challenging the project’s approvals.
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Yogish Gowda murder case: HC issues notice to CBI after hearing Kulkarni’s plea
Bengaluru: Karnataka High Court has issued a notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) following the filing of application by Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni and Chandrashekhar Indi challenging the life imprisonment awarded to them by the Special Court for murder of BJP Dharwad leader Yogish Gowda.
The divisional bench comprising Justices Muhammad Nawaz and T Venkatesh Naik heard the pleas filed by Kulkarni on April 15 and Chandrashekhar Indi also called Chandu Mama on April 16.
The bench has now issued a notice to the CBI and also directed the HC Registry to obtain the trial court documents before adjourning the hearing.
