Nicobar Mega-Project: Tribal Rights and Environmental Crisis

Why in the News?

1. The ₹72,000 crore Great Nicobar mega-infrastructure project has sparked serious concerns over tribal displacement, environmental destruction, and legal violations.
2. Experts have warned that the project undermines constitutional safeguards, bypasses statutory processes, and poses long-term risks to one of the world’s most unique biodiversity hotspots.
3. The project is being pursued despite its location in a seismically active zone, raising fears of humanitarian, ecological, and economic disasters.

Key Highlights

1. Displacement of Indigenous Tribes
   1. The Nicobarese and Shompen tribes, the latter classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), face permanent displacement due to the project.
   2. The ancestral villages of the Nicobarese, already impacted by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, will be permanently lost, preventing their return.
   3. The Shompen community will be cut off from their ancestral lands, forest resources, and traditional livelihoods, severely disrupting their social and economic systems.
2. Violation of Legal and Constitutional Safeguards
   1. Article 338-A of the Constitution mandates consultation with the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), which was ignored.
   2. The Tribal Council of Great Nicobar and Little Nicobar Island expressed objections, yet authorities pressured them to issue a Letter of No Objection, later revoked.
   3. Forest Rights Act (2006) and Social Impact Assessment (2013) provisions, designed to protect tribal land and forest management rights, were bypassed, undermining the rule of law.
3. Ecological Threats and Deforestation
   8. The project threatens to cut between 8.5 lakh and 58 lakh trees, endangering the rainforest ecosystem.
   9. Compensatory afforestation is planned in Haryana, which is ecologically disconnected from Nicobar, making it an inadequate replacement for the lost forest.
   10. Part of the planned port construction site overlaps with CRZ 1A areas, which include turtle nesting grounds and coral reefs, violating coastal regulations.
4. Flawed Environmental Assessments
   1. Biodiversity assessments for sea turtles, dugongs, and Nicobar long-tailed macaques were conducted under inappropriate conditions, with off-season or shallow-water surveys.
   2. Concerns from primatologists and wildlife experts were ignored.
   3. Committees reportedly manipulated results to favor project approval, and ground-truthing reports were not publicly disclosed, undermining transparency.
5. Natural Disaster and Seismic Vulnerability
   1. Great Nicobar lies in Seismic Zone V, one of India’s highest earthquake risk zones.
   2. The 2004 tsunami caused a 15-feet land subsidence, and a 2-magnitude earthquake in July 2025 highlighted ongoing vulnerability.
   3. Locating a mega-project here increases the risk to human lives, infrastructure, and long-term investment, threatening sustainable development.

Key Terms

1. Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)
   1. Subcategory of Scheduled Tribes with extreme vulnerability.
   2. Characterized by low literacy, pre-agricultural technology, and stagnant population.
   3. Depend on forests and natural habitats for subsistence.
   4. Policy focus emphasizes protection and minimal disruption.
   5. The Shompen tribe in Great Nicobar is a PVTG.
2. Compensatory Afforestation
   1. Planting trees to compensate for deforestation caused by development.
   2. Effectiveness depends on ecological similarity, species diversity, and site suitability.
   3. Often inadequate for replacing old-growth forests.
   4. Misplacement can undermine biodiversity objectives.
   5. In the Nicobar case, it is planned far away in Haryana, failing ecological relevance.
3. Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) 1A
   1. Ecologically sensitive coastal areas including mangroves, coral reefs, and turtle nesting sites.
   2. Construction prohibited to preserve biodiversity.
   3. Strictest category under CRZ rules in India.
   4. Violations penalized under the Environment Protection Act.
   5. Ensures sustainable coastal development.
4. Social Impact Assessment (SIA)
   1. Mandatory under the 2013 Land Acquisition Act.
   2. Evaluates effects of projects on local communities and ecosystems.
   3. Requires public consultation and stakeholder participation.
   4. Considers social, economic, cultural, and environmental consequences.
   5. Forms the basis for fair compensation and rehabilitation planning.
5. Seismic Zone Classification
   1. India is divided into Zones II–V based on earthquake risk.
   2. Zone V: highest risk, includes Nicobar Islands.
   3. Determines building codes and disaster-resilient infrastructure.
   4. Critical for assessing the feasibility of large-scale projects.
   5. Helps in planning risk mitigation and disaster management.
6. National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST)
   1. Constitutional body under Article 338-A of the Constitution.
   2. Mandated to investigate and monitor safeguards provided to Scheduled Tribes.
   3. Advises the Government on socio-economic development policies for tribal communities.
   4. Can inquire into complaints regarding rights violations and discrimination against tribes.
   5. Provides recommendations for protecting cultural, social, and educational rights of tribal populations.
   6. Plays a key role in evaluating impact of development projects on tribal communities.
7. Forest Rights Act (2006) (FRA)
   1. Grants forest-dwelling communities the right to protect, conserve, and manage forests.
   2. Recognizes individual and community forest rights over ancestral land and resources.
   3. Ensures participatory decision-making in forest governance.
   4. Provides a legal framework for sustainable livelihoods based on forest resources.
   5. Empowers tribes to contest unauthorized forest land diversion by the state or private entities.
   6. Seeks to balance forest conservation with tribal socio-economic rights.

Implications

1. For Indigenous Communities
   1. The displacement threatens cultural continuity, social cohesion, and traditional livelihoods of the Nicobarese and Shompen tribes.
   2. Permanent loss of land and resources could lead to the extinction of Shompen as a PVTG.
   3. Ignoring tribal rights sets a dangerous precedent for development projects across India.
2. For Biodiversity and Environment
   1. Loss of old-growth forests and endemic species including dugongs, turtles, and Nicobar long-tailed macaques.
   2. Destruction of marine and coastal ecosystems could have irreversible consequences.
   3. Artificial afforestation far from the site cannot compensate for local biodiversity loss.
3. For Governance and Policy Integrity
   1. Ignoring statutory bodies like NCST and the Tribal Council undermines institutional credibility.
   2. Bypassing environmental laws weakens public trust and encourages policy negligence in other regions.
   3. Disregard for legal safeguards may fuel social unrest and resistance from local communities.
4. For Economic and Development Planning
   1. Huge financial investment is vulnerable due to earthquakes, tsunamis, and cyclones.
   2. Long-term economic returns may be compromised by ecological and disaster-related risks.
   3. Misalignment of development plans with sustainability goals risks international and domestic credibility.
5. For Climate Change and Sustainability Goals
   1. Large-scale deforestation reduces the island’s carbon sink capacity.
   2. Compensatory afforestation in Haryana does not address local ecological loss.
   3. The project contradicts India’s commitments to biodiversity conservation and climate action.

Challenges and Way Forward

Conclusion

The Great Nicobar mega-project exemplifies the conflict between rapid infrastructure development and the protection of tribal rights, biodiversity, and ecological integrity. Ignoring constitutional safeguards, environmental laws, and disaster risk management risks creating a humanitarian and ecological catastrophe. Sustainable development must prioritize the rights of indigenous communities and conservation of fragile ecosystems.