Lok Sabha Question No. 215 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-25
Subject: Great Nicobar Island Project
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Sudama Prasad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 215

TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.11.2024

## Great Nicobar Island Project

## 215.  SHRI SUDAMA PRASAD:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has assessed the impact of Great Nicobar Island project on the Island's ecology specifically with infrastructure upgrade proposed under the said project, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the  measures  proposed  by  the  Government  to  protect  the  threat  on  the  marine  and terrestrial biodiversity of the Island;
- (c) the guidelines under  National Green Tribunal (NGT) suggested to formulate a high power committee to grant Environmental and Forest Clearance; and
- (d) whether the said Committee has been formulated, if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) to (d) The decision on the proposal involving development of Great Nicobar Island project has been  taken after due consideration of potential environmental impacts on island ecology and also taking into account the significant strategic, defence and national importance of the developmental projects. As per EIA notification, 2006, as amended from time to time, prior environmental clearance is required for all new projects and/or activities or modernization of existing projects or activities as listed in the schedule to the Notification, 2006. The process of  prior  Environmental Clearance involves an examination of the project for assessment of impacts and preparation of an Environmental Management Plan through different stages such as screening, scoping, public consultation, and appraisal.

Several studies were conducted to carryout the environmental impact assessment and studies regarding  their  consequent  mitigation  measures  were  undertaken  by  the  top  statutory  and non-statutory bodies like Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and  Natural  History(SACON),  the  Wildlife  Institute  of  India  (WII),  Indian  Institute  for Science(IISc) as a part of the preparation of EIA/EMP report. Independent organization with specialized  skill  such  as  Indian  Institutes  of  Technology  (IIT),  National  Institute  of  Ocean Technology(NIOT),  National  Centre  for  Coastal  Research(NCCR),  National  Institute  of Oceanography(NIO), etc. were also involved during the appraisal process.

A detailed scrutiny of the EIA/EMP report took place during the appraisal of the project by an independent Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) having experts from the field of science and  engineering.  The  Environmental  Clearance  accorded  contains  as  many  as  42  specific conditions  dealing  with  each  component  of  the  project  for  the  safeguard  of  marine  and terrestrial biodiversity.

Further, three  independent  Monitoring  Committees  to  oversee  the implementation  of Environmental  Management  Plan  is  also  prescribed  in  the  Environmental  Clearance  letter namely  (i)  Committee  to  oversee  pollution  related  matters  (ii)  Committee  to  oversee biodiversity related matters (iii) Committee to oversee welfare and issues related to Shompen and Nicobarese.

Further, also a High  Power  Committee  (HPC)  was  constituted by the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change pursuant to the order of the NGT dated 03/04/2023.

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