under the ANPAT Regulation (1956) and the Shompen Policy (2015) have been wholly ignored in the rush to grant clearances.” The signatories alleged that the Environmental Appraisal Committee ignored anthropological and ecological objections and that “Galathea wildlife sanctuary was denotified, and three new sanctuaries were notified without any consultation with the Great and Little Nicobar islanders”.
They described the move as a “hollow exercise intended solely to satisfy Environmental Clearance conditions for enabling the project”.
The letter also claimed a “glaring conflict of interest” in the involvement of government institutes in both preparing and monitoring the environmental management plans.
They urged the environment minister to set aside political considerations, focus on the grave and irreversible negative implications of the proposed project and take serious note of the need to reconsider it.
The signatories include Padma Bhushan Ramachandra Guha, Padma Shri Romulus Whitaker, wildlife biologist Ravi Chellam, nature conservationist Asad Rahmani, scientist Sharachchandra Lele, and former Gujarat PCCF Ashok Kumar Sharma, among others.
In an article in “The Hindu”, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi had termed the Great Nicobar Mega Infra Project a “planned misadventure” that threatens the survival of the Shompen and Nicobarese tribes, destroys one of the world’s most unique ecosystems and is highly susceptible to natural disasters.
Gandhi had alleged that the project was being pushed through by “making a mockery of all legal and deliberative processes”.
In response, Environment Minister Yadav had written a column in the same newspaper, defending the project as one of strategic, defence and national importance
