NGT Greenlights Great Nicobar Mega Project
Introduction: A Green Signal from the Green Tribunal On Monday, India’s National Green Tribunal (NGT) dismissed challenges to one of the most ambitious infrastructure plans in the country’s history. We are talking about the ₹80,000-crore Holistic Development of Great Nicobar Island . Let that number sink in. ₹80,000 crore. That’s not pocket change. That’s roughly the budget of a small country. The project spans 166 square kilometers and includes a massive transshipment port, an airport, a new township, and renewable power plants. The timeline? 30 years. So, if you are in your twenties today, this project will shape your middle age. But here is the catch. Great Nicobar is not just any piece of land. It is home to pristine rainforests, endemic species, and the vulnerable Shompen tribe . The government says it has safeguards. Critics call it an ecological disaster waiting to happen. Let’s unpack what this really means. The Strategic Location: Why Great Nicobar Matters You cannot understand this p…
