• UGI USER
  • Sep 05, 2023
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Over nine lakh trees likely to be axed for Great Nicobar Project.

Relevance:

  • GS Paper- 1 Geography and vegetation.
  • Tags: #upsc #environment #greatnicobarproject.

Why in the news?

  • According to the Minister of State (Environment), the Union government’s ambitious ₹72,000-crore Great Nicobar Project may see 9.64 lakh trees felled. In lieu of the trees being chopped, compensatory afforestation would be carried out in Haryana as “the scope of plantation in Andaman and Nicobar Islands is very limited.
  • The details of environmental clearance on the Great Nicobar Project have not been put up on the public portal as it has been classified as one of “strategic importance”.

Great Nicobar Island Project

It is a mega project to be implemented at the southern end of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Components

  • An international container transshipment terminal.
  • A greenfield international airport.
  • Township development.
  • A 450 MVA gas and solar-based power plant.

Significance of the Project

  • Economic Reasons: The proposed port will allow Great Nicobar to participate in the regional and global maritime economy by becoming a major player in cargo transshipment.
  • Strategic Reasons: Its importance for national security and consolidation of the Indian Ocean Region has been repeatedly underlined.

Associated Concerns

  • May have an adverse impact on the rich biodiversity of the area and damage to the habitats of endangered species. The project area is part of Coastal Regulation Zones-IA and IB.
  • These are evergreen tropical forests with high biological diversity. The island itself is home to nearly 650 species of flora and 330 species of fauna.
  • It includes endemic species such as the Nicobar shrew, the Nicobar long-tailed macaque, the Nicobar megapode, among many others.
  • The Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) may face numerous challenges due to encroachment into their areas in the name of development.

Points To Remember

  • Great Nicobar Island Project.
  • Coastal regulation Zone.
  • PVTGs.

Source: The Hindu