Two gram panchayats give consent to Great Nicobar infrastructure project

New Delhi: Two of the three gram (village) panchayats in the area earmarked for the ambitious project in the Great Nicobar Island have consented to the development area notification, but highlighted that amenities and utilities being built should benefit locals and that fair compensation should be provided.The Tribal Council of Little Nicobar and Great Nicobar has, however objected to the diversion of certain areas currently reserved for tribals.The gram panchayats were responding to a letter from the Andaman and Nicobar Administration sent on January 1 that sought views of gram panchayats in Great Nicobar on notification of the project area as ‘Great Nicobar Island Development Area’ for the holistic master plan for Great Nicobar Island, as per the Town and Country Planning Regulation, 1994.

They were given 30 days to respond.Also Read: Parliamentary panel to table Nicobar project report in JulyThe gram pradhans of Laxminagar and Govindnagar gave consent to the development area notification according to their responses sent to the administration.

HT reached out to the gram pradhan of Campbell Bay, but did not receive a response immediately.

The same letter was sent to the Tribal Council but reached it only on February 20, according to the letter sent by the council to the administration on February 24, giving them only four days to respond.

HT has learnt that the Tribal Council has submitted its views, but flagged the short notice given to them and flagged that they do not consent to diversion of certain Tribal Reserve areas where their ancestral villages from the pre-Tsunami period are located.

These are specific villages where mainly the Shompen and Nicobarese population reside including Chingneh, Kirasis and Kurchinom in Galathea Bay; In Haeng Loi and Pulo Baha in Pemmaya Bay and Kokeon; Bui-jayae and Pulo Pakka in the Western flank of Nanjappa Bay.

The letter also states that there are Shompen bands who forage in the forests adjoining the Vijaynagar and Laxminagar villages and mentions specific locations along the East West and North South roads of the Island.The letter was sent to the gram pradhans of Laxminagar, Campbell Bay and Govindnagar gram panchayats, and the Tribal Council (as per the council’s letter) by the Town and Country Planning Unit of the Andaman Public Works Department.

The letter seen by HT states that four major components of development of Great Nicobar Island are International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICCT); International Airport; Power Plant and Township.Also Read: Admin invites tenders for research stations at Great Nicobar sitesThe letter said that “on the directions of the Government of India, a detailed master plan for the township area of Great Nicobar Island is under preparation by ANIIDCO and the draft plan is under finalisation”.

Independent observers pointed out that the comments of local authority should be invited on the specifics of the draft master plan as per the same Act under which comments have been sought.The total project area of Holistic Master Plan is 166.10 sq km which consists of seven revenue villages, which fall under the jurisdiction of three Gram Panchayats, measuring a total area of 44.23 sq km (out of which an area of 8.88 sq km is under deemed forest area) and Reserved Forest Area, measuring an area of 121.87 sq km, the letter states.

Further, the letter has provided GPS coordinates of the reserve forest and revenue areas likely to be covered by the plan.The Tribal Reserve area within the total area is meant for the protection of habitat of the Shompen and Great Nicobarese communities.Also Read: Centre seeks contractors’ interest for contentious Great Nicobar projectIndependent observers pointed out that as per Andaman and Nicobar Islands Town and Country Planning Regulation 1994, before preparing any master plan and submitting it to the administrator, the town planner should prepare a plan in draft and publish it, inviting objections and suggestions.

The Town Planner is supposed to give reasonable opportunity to every local authority to comment on specifics of the draft.

But in this case, the draft is still under preparation and not yet available for scrutiny.

HT sought comments from A & N administration on the draft master plan but did not receive a response immediately.“This development should have happened a few decades back.

We would have been in a far better position then.

We have consented to development but have asked for specific amenities,” said Prahlad Singh, gram pradhan, Laxminagar.Also Read: Nicobar report not public due to strategic info: CentreAccording to Singh, their demands are: a separate house for each family with sufficient space for domestic animals, kitchen garden, parking etc; a community health centre; an anganwadi; a playground; a market complex; grazing land; a fish market; parks; schools; and jetties.Govindnagar panchayat has sought fair and timely compensation and also said the ICCT could benefit locals by providing employment.The Great Nicobar Island project is coming up at the cost of ₹81,800 crore.

The Nicobar Islands fall in the Sundaland Biodiversity Hotspot and cover the western half of the Indonesian archipelago.