GREAT
NICOBAR PROJECT – POLITY
News:
Great Nicobar project
will not evict tribes, says Centre
What's
in the news?
●
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs told the
Rajya Sabha that displacement of tribes people will not be allowed to make room
for the ₹72,000 crore Great Nicobar island project.
Key
takeaways:
●
The project being implemented by the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO),
includes a transshipment port, an airport, a power plant, and a greenfield
township.
●
However, the Tribal Affairs Ministry said
that the utilisation of tribal reserve area will be subject to the interests of
the local tribespeople living in the area, especially the Shompen tribe, which
is classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
●
The interests of tribal population
especially Shompen, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group are not affected
adversely.
●
Strict implementation of the provisions of
Protection of Aborigine Tribe (PAT) Regulation to protect the interest of the
Shompen.
●
The displacement of tribals will not be
allowed; and Eco-tourism will be regulated in effective manner.
●
The overall Great Nicobar Development plan
envisages the use of about 244 sq. km. region for development purposes.
●
Phase 1 of the plan will cover:
○
22 sq. km. airport complex,
○
Transshipment port (TSP) at South Bay,
○
Parallel-to-the-coast mass rapid transport
system and
○
Free trade zone and warehousing complex on
the southwestern coast.
●
Andaman
and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO)
will be the nodal agency for the implementation of the Great Nicobar
Development plan.
Great
Nicobar Island:
●
Great Nicobar is the southernmost and largest of the Nicobar Islands of India.
●
The island of Sumatra is located 180 km to
the south of Great Nicobar. It has an area of about 1045 sq. km.
●
According to the 2011 census, it has a
population of about 8,069. The island is home to one of the most primitive
tribes of India - the Shompens.
●
The island includes the Great Nicobar
Biosphere Reserve (GNBR) comprising the Galathea
National Park and the Campbell Bay National Park.
●
Indira
Point in the Great Nicobar Island is the southernmost point
of India’s territory.