Ecological Concerns Ignored: Debate Over Great Nicobar Project Intensifies

In a heated exchange, former environment minister Jairam Ramesh accused the current Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav of neglecting critical ecological and humanitarian issues tied to the Great Nicobar infrastructure project. This development has sparked a wider debate over environmental policies and the project's potential impact on tribal communities and endangered species.

Ramesh alleges that the project threatens the local ecology and contravenes the National Forest Policy by diverting large swathes of forest land. He questioned the compensatory afforestation plans, arguing they are insufficient and disconnected from the unique ecosystem of Great Nicobar.

Yadav, defending the government's stance, claimed the project is imperative for national security and connectivity. He maintains only a small fraction of forestland will be impacted, but critics like Ramesh argue this oversight could drive some species closer to extinction and neglects legal protections for affected tribal communities.