'Beauty to be destroyed': Rahul Gandhi reiterates concern over Greater Nicobar Project

COngress leader Rahul indira nehru gandhi on fri verbalised interest o'er the Great Nicobar Project, which he described as large-scale ecological damage in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, saying he was "a bit disturbed that such beauty is going to be destroyed," during a detailed account shared in a video on YouTube."I was a bit disturbed that such beauty is going to be destroyed. I was like, more and more people should experience this. I don't think people understand, certainly the government doesn't understand," said Rahul.Also Read | Gravest crime against nature, tribal heritage: Rahul Gandhi on Great Nicobar projectIn the video, Rahul Gandhi recounted his visit to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, including the Nicobar region, where he said he observed pristine forests, coral ecosystems, and spoke to local residents and members of tribal communities.He claimed that the scale of proposed development in the region could result in irreversible environmental loss."We went to the Andamans and the Nicobar. We spent a day in the Andamans. And in the Andaman Islands, we went for a scooter ride. We met locals there. We spoke to them. We met the tourists there. We had a chat with them as well. We are 100% on board with pushing and developing facilities for ecologically balanced tourism in the Andaman Islands," he said.Rahul further stated, "61 square kilometers! Please understand this, this is four times New Delhi, okay. And they are building this project in the most pristine ecological environment this country has. And they are snatching away the land from people who were made to settle there, and they're snatching away the land from tribals."The Lok Sabha LoP also raised concerns over coral reef systems in the region, stating that any large-scale construction could significantly impact marine biodiversity and carbon absorption functions of coral ecosystems.Also Read | Great Nicobar project: Strategic necessity or ecological dilemma?"Destroying Nicobar corals is as if you're killing hundreds and hundreds of tigers in India. That's the same, right? They are wiping out a huge chunk of valuable resource for India, a biological resource for India. And it's similar to essentially destroying Project Tiger. Coral reefs, of course, they provide a home to variety of associated organisms," he said.The Congress leader further alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Forest Rights Act in the region and claimed that tribal communities had not been adequately consulted in decision-making processes."Without going into the procedures of the Forest Rights Act (FRA). We were told that the FRA was not used, it was misused. People were not asked questions. Can you give us, like, you know, how you feel the FRA was not used. The FRA is very clearly modeled and is given a format as to how an FRA, process of a meeting and for a Gram Sabhas could take place," Rahul stated.Expanding on his remarks, Gandhi later shared a post on X, where he reiterated his concerns after visiting the southernmost tip of India.He wrote, "I visited the southernmost tip of India. I stood at Indira Point. I walked under trees that have stood for centuries. I dove into coral reefs among the most vibrant on earth. And I sat with the people who live there. Tribal communities, whose land is being taken away by violating the Forest Rights Act. Settlers, many of them former soldiers, placed on these islands by the Indian government, who aren't getting fair compensation."Rahul Gandhi also criticised the government's justification of the Great Nicobar development project, saying it was being projected as a defence initiative. He further claimed that India was already developing a transhipment port in Kerala, questioning the need for another large-scale port project in the islands."The Modi government and BJP tells you Great Nicobar Project is about defence. It is not. Expand INS Baaz - we will back the government fully. The Navy has been asking for expansion for five years - it has been ignored. They tell you it is about a transhipment port. It is not. India is already building one in Kerala, which is on the mainland. What it actually is: 1.5 crore trees felled. Coral reefs erased from official maps. Soldiers and tribals displaced - so one businessman can build hotels and casinos on India's most irreplaceable ecological land," Rahul said.Concluding his remarks, Gandhi said, "Every young Indian I have spoken to understands this. You know that no amount of profit is worth destroying what can never be recovered. I stand for ecologically balanced development. These islands can be the most extraordinary sustainable destination the world has ever seen. That is the India worth fighting for."According to the government, the Great Nicobar Island mega infrastructure project seeks to leverage the island's proximity--around 40 nautical miles--to the East-West shipping route and reduce India's dependence on foreign transhipment ports while serving defence and national security objectives.The project includes a 14.2 million twenty-foot equivalent unit (MTEU) International Container Transhipment Terminal, a Greenfield International Airport with a capacity of 4,000 peak hour passengers, a 450 MVA gas-solar power plant and a planned township.