Scientists, conservationists warn of irreversible damage from govt’s Great Nicobar Project
New Delhi: The Centre’s ambitious Great Nicobar Infrastructure Project has once again come under scrutiny, with over 70 scientists, conservationists, and sociologists writing to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Monday, warning of its “grave and irreversible negative impacts” on the fragile island ecosystem.
In a strongly worded letter, as cited by Deccan Herald, the signatories accused the government of being “disingenuous” in invoking national security to defend what they described as a largely commercial venture disguised as a strategic project. They also criticised the decision to entrust biodiversity monitoring to a “handful” of institutions that had earlier drafted what they termed “illogical, unscientific and baseless” mitigation plans.
While the government has maintained that the project, which includes a dual-use military-civilian airport, holds strategic and maritime significance, the experts pointed out that the defence component accounts for only about 5 per cent of the total area. The remaining 160 sq km is earmarked for a commercial trans-shipment port, power plant, and township to house around 3.5 lakh settlers, in contrast to the island’s current population of roughly 8,000.
“It is misleading to label a predominantly commercial project as strategic and to cite national security whenever questions are raised,” the letter stated. They noted that excluding the defence enclave of 12.6 sq km, the proposed greenfield township covers over 80 per cent of the total project area.
The conservationists also noted that the proposed translocation of 20,000 coral colonies and crocodiles from Galathea Bay, the creation of artificial enclosures for the Nicobar Megapode (an endemic bird), and measures that would shorten the nesting approach of leatherback turtles by tenfold.
“These are glaring examples of unscientific and baseless mitigation strategies,” the letter said, adding that none of the detailed plans were available on the ministry’s website or through the RTI system.
They further noted that the Zoological Survey of India, Botanical Survey of India, Wildlife Institute of India, and the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, that designed the plans are also tasked with monitoring their implementation, calling it a “clear conflict of interest.”
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Bengaluru: Four arrested for housebreaking, threats, extortion; fake PSI among accused
Bengaluru: Vidyaranyapura police have arrested four persons, including a man posing as a Police Sub-Inspector (PSI), for allegedly breaking into a house, threatening the occupants, and extorting money while wearing police uniforms.
The arrested accused have been identified as Mallikarjuna, Pramod, Vinay, and Hrithik.
Police said the accused had hatched a plan to pose as police personnel, conduct fake raids, and extort money from residents by intimidation.
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According to the police, Mallikarjuna had failed the PSI examination twice and later falsely projected himself as a PSI. He allegedly conducted photo shoots in his hometown, Siraguppa, wearing a police uniform, baton, cap, and shoes, claiming to be serving as a PSI in Bengaluru.
On December 7, the four accused allegedly went to the house of Naveen in the Vidyaranyapura limits, threatened him with a stick and an iron rod, and claimed they had information that he was selling ganja. Under the pretext of searching, they allegedly extorted ₹87,000 through bank transfer, ₹53,000 in cash kept in the house, and ₹2,000 from his wallet.
Following Naveen’s complaint, Vidyaranyapura police registered a case and launched an operation, leading to the arrest of all four accused. Police have seized ₹45,000 in cash and the car used to commit the crime.
Further investigation is underway.
