The Union Environment Ministry has submitted a sealed envelope containing the report of the High-Powered Committee (HPC) formed to revisit the environmental clearance granted to the Great Nicobar Island mega infrastructure project. The report was submitted on Tuesday to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) bench.
Alongside the report, the ministry also submitted an additional affidavit stating that ₹80 crore had already been released by the end of March for wildlife conservation and healthcare, as mandated under the conditions of the statutory environmental clearances for the project.
“It is humbly submitted that the report of the High-Powered Committee, along with the relevant documents, has been brought in a sealed envelope for the kind perusal of this Tribunal,” the ministry stated.
Funds for the Mega Project
The funds were reportedly released for the conservation of key species and ecosystems, including the leatherback sea turtle, Nicobar megapode, long-tailed macaque, coconut crab, and local flora and fauna, among others.
The National Green Tribunal Chairperson, Justice Prakash Shrivastava, was hearing the matter filed by environmental activist and researcher Ashish Kothari, who has raised concerns over alleged environmental violations linked to the Great Nicobar project. The ministry’s affidavit was filed in response to directions issued by the NGT in March, in which the bench observed: “…No document or decision with application of mind and the outcome of the revisit to the EC has been placed on record or shown,” according to its order dated March 24.
The High-Powered Committee was constituted in April 2023 following NGT orders, in response to unresolved concerns regarding the ecological impact of mega infrastructure components—such as a proposed port and airport—on coral ecosystems located in ecologically sensitive and prohibited zones. While the NGT has not interfered with the environmental and forest clearances granted for the project, the HPC has concluded that the environmental clearance (EC) and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearances are in line with statutory provisions.
The ministry’s affidavit also revealed that approximately 16,510 people currently living close to the project site would need to be relocated. Although the HPC’s report has been submitted, it has not yet been made public, as the Centre has marked it as confidential.
