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The Great Nicobar Project: Indigenous Rights Violations And Environmental Degradation - A Legal Analysis

The Great Nicobar Project is a large-scale development initiative planned for Great Nicobar Island, the southernmost island of India. This mega-project includes the construction of a major international trans-shipment port, a greenfield airport for both civil and military use, a township, and power plants. The Shompen, a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) with a population of only around 300, have inhabited this island for centuries, maintaining a degree of isolation. This project poses a significant hazard to their existence due to potential displacement, destruction of their forest-based livelihood, increased exposure to diseases, and cultural disruption, raising serious concerns about their survival as a distinct community. This paper article examines the proposed Great Nicobar Project and its multifaceted legal ramifications for the indigenous Shompen community, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), and the fragile ecosystem of the Great Nicobar Islands. The central legal issues analyzed encompass potential violations of environmental statutes concerning deforestation and biodiversity loss, infringements upon the fundamental rights of the Shompens including rights to equality, information, and life, and non-compliance with international legal instruments such as ILO Convention 16 9 , particularly regarding the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent. Furthermore, the article scrutinizes the application of domestic legislation, notably the Forest Rights Act, 2006, and relevant judicial pronouncements. Ultimately, this legal analysis argues for a critical re-evaluation of the Great Nicobar Project to ensure strict adherence to legal frameworks, the safeguarding of indigenous rights, and the imperative of environmental protection within the context of sustainable development .