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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Will take legal course if film is stopped: Vivek Agnihotri on release of 'The Bengal Files' in WB
Kolkata, Aug 18 (PTI): Filmmaker Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri on Monday said he would go the legal route if the release of his film "The Bengal Files" is stalled in West Bengal.
The trailer launch of the film in Kolkata was disrupted on Saturday. Agnihotri claimed the event was first cancelled by a multiplex and then moved to a hotel where power supply was disrupted and police turned up asking if permission had been taken.
"We will go by the Constitution. We will go legally. If they stop us, we will take the legal course. What can we do? We are common citizens like you... We will pray that sanity prevails and the state government does not do it (stop the release)," the filmmaker said at a press conference here while hitting out at the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government in West Bengal.
"The Bengal Files", which is slated for release on September 5, revolves around the Calcutta riots of August 16, 1946, which were triggered after the All-India Muslim League called for 'Direct Action Day' to demand a separate homeland.
"...This is an Indian film. I am telling you the truth," Agnihotri said.
Known for films such as "The Kashmir Files" and "The Tashkent Files", Agnihotri also addressed the many controversies surrounding his latest release, including an FIR by Gopal Chandra Mukherjee's grandson Santanu Mukherjee.
Gopal Mukherjee is said to have played a pivotal role in the resistance against the Muslim mob violence in 1946. Santanu claims Agnihotri's film refers to his grandfather as a butcher.
Agnihotri said Gopal Mukherjee in his film is an inspired character and not central to the plot.
"I will not go into his history. Watch Santanu's interview. I can give you all the links. There is an interview of Gopal Mukherjee on BBC. In that interview, what he has said, we have only shown that much. I have nothing to do with Gopal Mukherjee's life, politics. He was a hero and I have shown him as a hero," he said.
"I respect Gopal Mukherjee a lot. His grandsons work with TMC. There is a compulsion there... They have done it legally. We are giving a legal answer to that," he said.
Agnihotri claimed the film is his attempt to reveal hidden truths. He said he aims at showing "the untold stories of India".
"Our purpose is very clear. I make films on Hindu civilization. That is why I make films on Hindu history. I do not consider myself capable of making films on Islamic history or Christian history," he said, adding that filmmakers like Mani Ratnam and Vishal Bhardwaj have already made movies on the Islamic history of Kashmir through "Roja" and "Haider".
Agnihotri said the censor board passed "The Bengal Files" without any cuts though it went through the examining committee and then the revising committee.
"This film was made with a lot of responsibility and sincerity. No one can object to this. Bengalis will be proud of this film."
"The Bengal Files" stars Mithun Chakraborty, Saswata Chatterjee, Anupam Kher, Pallavi Joshi, Priyanshu Chatterjee and Darshan Kumar.
