India’s Major Development Plan on Remote Island Raises Concerns

“The forest is our supermarket,” states Anstice Justin. He adds, “We get almost everything from the forests on these islands. It is what we survive on.” Mr. Justin, an anthropologist, spent his formative years in the Andaman and Nicobar islands, situated off India’s eastern coast. This federally-administered territory is an ecologically sensitive region comprising 836 islands, with only 38 being inhabited. The Nicobar Islands, a distinct group, are located in the southern part of this territory, approximately 150 km (93 miles) south of the Andaman Islands. Mr. Justin now observes with apprehension as India proceeds with plans for a multi-billion-dollar development initiative, described as ‘Hong Kong-like,’ on Great Nicobar Island, one of the Nicobar archipelago’s largest and most isolated components. This project, budgeted at 720bn rupees ($9bn or £6bn) and covering 166 sq km, encompasses a transshipment harbor, a power plant, an airport, and a new township. Its objective is to connect the area to vital global trade routes via the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal. Situated near the Strait of Malacca, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, the initiative is projected to enhance international trade and tourism. The government estimates that around 650,000 individuals will reside on the island once the project is finished in 30 years. Experts suggest this multi-billion-dollar undertaking also aligns with India’s broader strategy to counteract China’s increasing regional influence. However, the plan has generated apprehension among island residents, who fear the loss of their land, cultural heritage, and traditional lifestyle, with the project potentially pushing them towards extinction. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are home to some of the planet’s most secluded and vulnerable tribal communities, with five groups designated as “particularly vulnerable.” These groups include the Jarawas, North Sentinelese, Great Andamanese, Onge, and Shompen. While the Jarawas and North Sentinelese largely remain uncontacted, the Shompen, numbering approximately 400 individuals on the Great Nicobar Islands, also face the risk of losing their way of life due to external pressures. As a nomadic tribe, most Shompen live deep within the forest, foraging for sustenance. Limited information is available about their culture, as very few have ever interacted with the outside world. Mr. Justin, who has been documenting the island since 1985, comments, “The loss will be especially huge and traumatic for them.” He adds, “Whatever we call development in the outside world is not of interest to them. They have a traditional life of their own.” Environmental advocates highlight significant ecological repercussions associated with the project. Great Nicobar Island, spanning 921 sq km (355.6 sq miles), is approximately 80% covered by rainforests, which shelter over 1,800 animal species and 800 flora species, many of which are endemic. The federal environment ministry has indicated that only 130 sq km, or 14% of the island’s total area, will be cleared for the project – yet this still amounts to about 964,000 trees. Experts caution that the actual number could be considerably higher. Ecologist Madhav Gadgil states, “The government always claims only a part of the forest will be cleared. But the infrastructure you’re building would lead to more pollution, which in turn would impact the entire habitat.” The environment ministry did not provide a response to BBC’s request for comment. Nevertheless, Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav had stated in August that the project “will not disturb or displace” tribespeople and that it had secured environmental clearances based on the “rigour of environmental scrutiny and after incorporating consequent safeguards”. Despite these assurances, skepticism persists. Earlier this year, 39 international experts from various social science disciplines issued a warning that the development project would constitute a “death sentence” for the Shompen by destroying their habitat. This apprehension is shared by Mr. Justin, who remarks, “The Shompen people do not have the knowledge or the means to survive in an industrial world.” He expresses concern that the group might suffer a similar fate to the Nicobarese, the island’s largest tribal community, who experienced displacement in 2004 when a massive tsunami in the Indian Ocean devastated their villages. Although the government subsequently made efforts to resettle them in a different area, this relocation also came with consequences. Mr. Justin observes, “Most Nicobarese here are now manual labourers and stay in a settlement instead of their ancestral lands,” adding, “They have no place to grow crops or keep animals.” Concerns also exist that the project could expose the Shompen to diseases. Callum Russell, an official at Survival International, a conservation group, explains, “Uncontacted peoples have little to no immunity to outside diseases like flu and measles which can and do wipe them out – they typically lose around two thirds of their population after contact.” Furthermore, broader environmental worries pertain to the region’s marine life. Ecologists caution about the potential impact on Galathea Bay, located on the island’s south-eastern side, which has served as a nesting site for giant leatherback sea turtles for centuries. Dr. Manish Chandi, a social ecologist, notes that the project is planned for an area that is home to saltwater crocodiles, as well as the island’s water monitors, fish, and avifauna. A government statement has affirmed that the nesting and breeding grounds of these species would not be altered. However, Mr. Chandi highlights that several other species, including Leatherback sea turtles, corals, and giant robber crabs, also nest in the area and could face displacement. Even with the project’s anticipated 30-year completion timeline, a sense of unease prevails regarding its potential to irreversibly disrupt the delicate balance of both the environment and the lives of the island’s indigenous inhabitants.