Indigenous population at risk due to India's Nicobar port development project, causing concerns over cultural preservation and autonomy
The Indian government's ambitious Great Nicobar Island Development Project, spearheaded by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation Ltd (ANIIDCO), is on the brink of receiving cabinet approval. This multi-billion-dollar project, estimated at ₹720 billion (US$9 billion), aims to bolster India's defence, logistics, commerce, and tourism sectors over the next three decades.
The project, which has been a source of controversy, includes plans for a transhipment terminal, a greenfield airport, a 16,000-hectare solar power plant, and two new coastal cities. Critics argue that prioritising large-scale corporatisation over environmental safeguards is reflected in this development.
The incident that helped pave the way for the project was a development project proposal presented to a tribal leader from the Nicobar Islands by Indian government officials in 2022. The tribal leader, unaware of the full implications, signed off on the request, assuming the areas in question were indeed unused.
However, the project has raised concerns for human rights due to the sidelining of the Great Nicobari indigenous tribes. The Shompen, one of the indigenous tribes on the Nicobar Islands, are highly vulnerable to diseases and reject contact with outsiders. Increasing the island's population by 8,000% through the mega-project exposes the Shompen to immense disease risks, making their extermination overwhelmingly likely.
Requests for specifics about the project, including environmental clearances issued at unprecedented speed, have been repeatedly denied even under the powerful right-to-information (RTI) legislation. The authorities have also refused to release top-level committee reports on environmental assessments.
The project could lead to the resettlement of 450,000 to 600,000 people from mainland India to the island. Despite fierce resistance from environmentalists and ecologists, the Indian government has completed all formalities for the implementation of the project.
The project also includes plans for domestic and international cruise terminals, with the government envisioning a trading hub akin to Hong Kong. The tendering process could begin immediately after the cabinet's approval.
Last year, 39 genocide scholars from 13 countries issued an open letter to the Indian government, calling the project a 'death sentence' for the Shompen and urging its immediate cancellation. Several experts have refrained from publicly criticizing the government's approach due to fear of reprisals.
The Adani Group, which dominates India's port and airport infrastructure, is expected to be a significant beneficiary of the development. The project's estimated cost of ₹720 billion has been questioned for lacking a transparent or credible public framework.
The deal's accuracy was far from accurate, with the project's actual cost potentially ten times higher than the estimated one million trees that could be felled. The project is a concern for many, and the only step remaining is authorization from the Cabinet, which could take place during the parliamentary session beginning on 31 January.
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