Great Nicobar Project: Infrastructure, Environmental Safeguards and Tribal Welfare Context: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands (A&NI) administration did not achieve the mandated 50% quorum at the gram sabha meetings held to get consent for the Centre’s ₹92,000-crore Great Nicobar Island project. Quorum is the minimum number of members needed in such a meeting to reach a decision. According to the rules issued by the Centre for the implementation of the FRA, a quorum at a gram sabha is achieved only if ‘one-half’ or 50% of the adult population of that village is in attendance, of which one-third must be women. The Great Nicobar Project The Great Nicobar Project is a strategic project which aims to strengthen India’s presence in the Andaman Sea and Southeast Asia. The project seeks to balance port-led growth with calibrated environmental safeguards and protection of indigenous communities. By combining strategic, economic, and ecological priorities, the project seeks to ensure that development in Great Nicobar is sustainable, inclusive, and aligned with national interests. The project includes International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT) with a capacity of 14.2 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit) Greenfield International Airport (4000 Peak Hour Passengers-PHP) A 450 MVA (Megavolt Ampere) gas and solar-based power plant, A new township spanning 16,610 hectares. Core Infrastructure Components of the Great Nicobar Project International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT) Developed at Galathea Bay under the Holistic Development of Great Nicobar Island programme Aims to reduce India’s dependence on foreign transhipment hubs such as Colombo, Singapore and Klang Possesses natural water depth of more than 20 metres, suitable for large container vessels Intended to attract both gateway cargo and transhipment cargo Enhances India’s strategic, defence and maritime security presence in the Indian Ocean Region Greenfield International Airport Proposed to improve connectivity and promote tourism in Great Nicobar Island Expected to…
