·        The Andaman and Nicobar administration’s decision not to recognize or grant ownership of forest land to local tribespeople under FRA before initial clearance has drawn criticism, highlighting potential gaps in safeguarding forest rights as stipulated by the Forest Conservation Rules, 2017.

·        PVTG’s are the most vulnerable among tribal communities, necessitating a greater allocation of development funds to address their specific needs, compared to more developed and assertive tribal groups.

·        In this context, in 1975, the Government of India declared 52 tribal groups as PVTGs on the recommendation of the Dhebar Commission.

o   Currently, there are 75 PVTGs out of 705 Scheduled Tribes spread over 18 states and one Union Territory (UT), in the country (2011 census).

ü  The highest number of PVTGs are found in Odisha, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, while no PVTGs are found in the states of Punjab and Haryana.

·        Criteria to Identify Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups:

1.      Preservation of pre-agricultural practices,

2.     Economic Backwardness,

3.     Decreasing or stagnant population growth, and

Relatively low levels of literacy in contrast to other tribal groups.

·        The Great Nicobar Island (GNI) Project is a mega project to be implemented at the southern end of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

·        A pre-feasibility report identified the potential to utilize the strategic location of Great Nicobar Island, leading to its holistic development following recommendations from NITI Aayog.

·        The project includes an international container transshipment terminal, a greenfield international airport, township development, and a 450 MVA gas and solar based power plant over an extent of 16,610 hectares in the island.

What motivates the government to prioritize the development of this island?

·        Economic reasons: As per the NITI Aayog report, the proposed port will allow Great Nicobar to participate in the regional and global maritime economy by becoming a major player in cargo transshipment.

o   The government’s greater goal is to leverage the locational advantage of the island for economic and strategic reasons.

o   Great Nicobar’s strategic location, equidistant from Colombo and Port Klang/Singapore, places it along the East-West international shipping corridor, making it a potential hub for global shipping trade through the proposed ICTT.

·        Strategic & Security reasons:

o   The proposal to develop Great Nicobar was first floated in the 1970s, and its importance for national security and consolidation of the Indian Ocean Region has been repeatedly underlined.

o   Increasing Chinese assertion in the Bay of Bengal and the Indo-Pacific has added great urgency to this imperative in recent years.

o   Close surveillance of the entire area around the archipelago, and the building up of a strong military deterrence at Great Nicobar is of vital importance to India’s national security.

Environmental Concerns:

·         Impact on Biodiversity:

o   Critics raise concerns about the project’s potential harm to the rich biodiversity and habitats of endangered species in Coastal Regulation Zones-IA and IB, including the Galathea Bay, a critical bird nesting site, and turtle nesting areas.

·        Impact on Tree Cover and Mangroves:

o   Environmentalists highlight the risk of loss of tree cover and mangroves on the island due to the development project. This loss could disrupt local flora and fauna and increase ocean runoff and sedimentation, impacting nearby coral reefs.

Assessment Issues:

·        Insufficient Environmental Assessment:

o   Critics point out that the project’s environmental impact assessment relied on data from only one season, rather than the standard requirement of three seasons for a comprehensive assessment. They argue that the assessments did not adhere to the Terms of Reference (ToR).

·        Tribal Space Encroachment:

o   Despite protections for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), critics argue that development activities encroach upon their territories, exacerbating challenges faced by these marginalized communities.

·        Seismic Concerns

o   Many experts have highlighted that the proposed port is in a seismically volatile zone, which experienced a permanent subsidence of about 15 ft during the 2004 tsunami.