Tribals oppose Great Nicobar Mega Project, Centre reviewing their concerns, says Minister Jual Oram
New Delhi: The Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram on Monday confirmed that his ministry is scrutinising objections raised by the Nicobarese and Shompen people regarding the controversial 'Holistic Development of Great Nicobar' project. The plan proposes infrastructural developments whch includes a transshipment port, international airport, township and power plant, across more than 160 sq km of the ecologically rich island.
The proposed diversion of over 130 sq km of pristine forest land, which falls within areas inhabited and traditionally protected by the Nicobarese and Shompen tribes, both listed as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). These communities deeply rooted in the island’s ecology and culture, have voiced strong objections over the potential destruction of their ancestral land, sacred ecosystems, and way of life.
Speaking to reporters, Minister Oram acknowledged that the concerns are now under official review. “Yes, it is under examination… First, we need to determine whether the gram sabha (tribal council) was held, what it recommended, and whether there have been any violations,” he said.
The Tribal Council of Little and Great Nicobar, an elected body with statutory powers, had initially issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) in August 2022 for denotifying a portion of tribal reserve land. It later withdrew the NOC, alleging that authorities had concealed critical information while seeking clearance raising serious questions about transparency and consent.
As per the Andaman and Nicobar (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulation, 1956, over 853 sq km of Great Nicobar’s land is designated as a tribal reserve. Here the tribals hold exclusive rights. These rights are a legal safeguard intended to protect Indigenous people's autonomy and cultural integrity by banning the sale, transfer, or acquisition of their lands.
The Shompen tribe, isolated from the outside world, relies on these forests for food, medicine, identity, language, and social systems. Any disruption to their natural habitat has the potential to permanently destroy their precarious and vulnerable life.
Though the state asserts that the project will not disturb or displace the Shompens, experts and tribal rights campaigners believe that such a claim is illogical because the very forest that nourishes the tribe is at risk.
For the Nicobarese as well, whose lands and lives are tied to their environment, the project raises fear of their extintion. The forced imposition of industrial infrastructure in a region protected for tribal self-governance violates the spirit of both the Constitution and international conventions on Indigenous rights.
Ministry of Tribal Affairs says consultations are underway but the tribal leaders and advocates insist that no development should proceed without free, prior, and informed consent.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Two injuries, one DNF, a DQ as India end messy World Relays campaign
Gaborone (Botswana) (PTI): Amoj Jacob and Ragul Kumar got injured during the men's 4x400m and 4x100 races respectively as India ended their World Athletics Relays campaign in disappointment on the second day of competitions here on Sunday.
The Indian camp had high hopes of making the 2027 World Championships in the men's 4x400m relay but the team did not finish (DNF) the race as Jacob suffered cramps and pulled out of the race after taking the baton from the first leg runner Dharamveer Choudhary. Rajesh Ramesh and Vishal TK were to run in the third and fourth legs.
Those teams which could not qualify for the 2027 Beijing World Championships by reaching the final round of each of the six relay events on Saturday were given another chance in the second qualification round on Sunday.
The top two teams in each of the two heats (in all six relay events) booked the Beijing ticket on Sunday.
India will now have to try and qualify for the World Championships through the Top Lists of the World Athletics, which is a long and tedious process.
In the men's 4x100m race, third leg runner Ragul Kumar fell down the track after failing to hand over the baton inside the exchange zone to fourth leg runner Gurindervir Singh, which clearly showed the lack of coordination among the runners.
Harsh Santosh Raut and Animesh Kujur ran the first two legs.
The Indian quartet was disqualified and Kumar was seen being taken away from the Field of Play with the help of the volunteers.
It was a comedy of errors in the case of the women's 4x100m race, which saw the baton being dropped during an exchange between first leg runner Tamanna and second runner Nithya Gandhe, though the Indians finished the race in 53.09 seconds.
Gandhe started running quite a distance, but after realising that the baton was not in her hand, she turned and ran back to pick it up.
The only silver-lining for the Indian contingent was the national record time in the mixed 4x100m relay race, though the quartet of Ragul Kumar, Nithya Gandhe, Animesh Kujur and Sneha SS finished sixth in heat number two with a time of 41.35 seconds, bettering the previous national mark of 42.30 seconds set in March in Chandigarh.
The mixed 4x400m relay quartet of Theerthesh P Shetty, Kumari Saloni, Nihal William and Rashdeep Kaur ended at fifth in heat number one with a time of 3 minutes and 19.40 seconds.
On Saturday, all the five Indian relay teams had failed to make it to the respective final rounds and thus missed out on the 2027 World Championships berths.
