Great Nicobar project will destroy unique ecosystem; pause, revisit venture: Ramesh to Environment Minister

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote a letter to Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Sunday, May 10, 2026, claiming that the Greater Nicobar Island development project would “destroy” the unique ecosystem there and urged him to pause, think and revisit the initiative in its current design and details.

In his letter to Mr. Yadav, Mr. Ramesh said that the efforts that led to environmental clearance for the project were “grossly inadequate” and “a mockery of the Environmental Impact Assessment process.”

Mr. Ramesh highlighted that security experts have written that the country’s basic security needs can be met without causing such “ecological destruction”.

“I would like to reiterate that the biodiversity of the Greater Nicobar Island is unique globally and new discoveries are made from time to time. It is this unique ecosystem that will be destroyed by the Greater Nicobar Island development project,” the former Environment Minister said in his letter to Mr. Yadav. he said.

Mr. Ramesh argued that the claim of compensatory afforestation was completely bogus and the Minister knew it.

“Security experts themselves have written that the country’s basic security needs can be met without causing such ecological destruction. Once again, I urge you to pause, think and reconsider the project in its current design and details,” the general secretary in charge of the congress said. he said.

Mr. Ramesh said the studies that led to environmental clearance for the project were not even rapid Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and relied on basic data collection over several days and weeks at best, and were clearly grossly inadequate.

“These reports are an insult to science and a mockery of the EIA process. All my efforts to locate the ‘extensive studies, detailed assessments and robust Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Plan’ relied upon in the FAQ have failed,” he said.

“The ‘Greater Nicobar Project: FAQ’ published by the government on May 1, 2026 states, ‘The potential ecological impacts of the Project have been comprehensively identified, assessed and are being effectively managed through a robust Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process and a detailed Environmental Management Plan.’ [EMP].

“I responded to these FAQs in great detail on May 3, 2026. Now, following our exchange of views in writing on this important issue in September 2024, I would like to touch on a few more points. [and grave] Public importance,” Mr. Ramesh said in his letter.

He stated that the law requires port projects, especially in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, to be subject to comprehensive EIA studies.

He said that given the unique biodiversity and ecology of Greater Nicobar Island, a robust and complete baseline study should cover at least three seasons so that seasonal changes can be adequately studied and evaluated.

Mr. Ramesh pointed out that the sector-specific EIA Guidelines for ports and harbours, issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), require collection of physical, chemical and biological baseline data for at least two seasons, apart from oceanographic data.

Mr. Ramesh said that in addition to the above requirement, clause 8(i)(c) of the ICRZ Notification 2019 also mandates a comprehensive EIA for projects located in low or moderately erosive sections of coasts.

The importance of a Comprehensive EIA for port projects was reiterated by one of Mr. Yadav’s eminent predecessors, Prakash Javadekar, in the Lok Sabha on May 5, 2015, but rejected the Gujarat government’s request to consider clearance for ports based on expedited EIA studies, the Congress leader said.

“I have also read NGT’s order dated April 3, 2023, which stated that there were ‘unanswered deficiencies’ in cleanliness and directed to constitute a High Powered Committee (HPC) to review environmental cleanliness.

MoEF&CC has made a representation to the NGT alleging that the deliberations and report of the HPC constituted pursuant to the orders of the NGT are confidential,” Mr. Ramesh said in his letter.

He said that the subsequent decision dated 16 February 2026 was based solely on the conclusions of the High Powered Committee’s report, which did not form part of the record before the Court.

“I find it completely difficult to understand the logic and legality behind MoEF&CC’s claim that the HPC report is confidential. This goes against all the fundamental principles of transparency and accountability that you claim to adhere to,” Mr. Ramesh said.

Is it legal, he asked, to claim that the product of a court-mandated reassessment study is confidential when the original environmental cleanup assessment process is in the public domain?

“I would be happy to share the exact quotes from your own Ministry’s documents where I have quoted quotes in this letter that clearly contradict the FAQs,” Mr. Ramesh said.

The Congress last week had flagged in detail concerns regarding ecology, tribal rights, transparency and security related to the Greater Nicobar project and suggested that these issues should be discussed in a parliamentary forum.

The opposition party had claimed that the Modi government was “shaken” and was in damage control mode after the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s recent visit to Greater Nicobar.

“Clearly in damage control mode after Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s highly impactful visit to Greater Nicobar on April 28, 2026, the Modi Government issued a press note on the Greater Nicobar Island Development Project three days later,” Mr. Ramesh said in a statement.

During his visit to Greater Nicobar in the last week of April, Mr Gandhi had alleged that the Greater Nicobar project in Campbell Bay in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands was “one of the biggest frauds and gravest crimes against the natural and tribal heritage of the country”.

The government published a detailed statement with answers to FAQs (frequently asked questions) on May 1.

“The Greater Nicobar Project is a strategic initiative to strengthen India’s presence in the Andaman Sea. It aims to balance port-led growth with calibrated environmental measures. Protection of indigenous communities remains at the heart of its planning,” the government statement said.

“The project combines strategic, economic and ecological priorities. This ensures that development is sustainable, inclusive and compatible with national interests.”