India’s environmental court has given the go-ahead to the strategically significant Great Nicobar infrastructure project despite widespread concerns of ecological damage to the island in the Andaman Sea.
The National Green Tribunal on Monday dismissed a batch of petitions objecting to the megaproject on ecologically sensitive Great Nicobar island – around 160km (100 miles) northwest of Indonesia’s Aceh province – saying “adequate safeguards” had been taken into account.
The infrastructure plan involves building a transshipment port, airport, power plant and a township on the island, located close to the Strait of Malacca, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
India’s environment minister last September called it a project of “strategic, defence and national importance” which would transform Great Nicobar into a major hub of maritime and air connectivity in the Indian Ocean region.
The Andaman and Nicobar archipelago has also long been seen within India as key to countering China’s growing influence in the region.
But activists say the infrastructure drive may adversely impact the ecology of the island, result in the felling of hundreds of thousands of trees and harm the interests of local tribal groups.
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