Congress leader and Member of Parliament Jairam Ramesh on Sunday, 10 May wrote a four-page letter to Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupendra Yadav, demanding that the Great Nicobar Island development project be shelved to protect the island's unique biodiversity and fragile ecosystem. The move came days after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi visited the Great Nicobar Island and publicly described the project as one of the "gravest crimes" against its natural and tribal heritage.

Key Demands in Ramesh's Letter

Ramesh, who also serves as the Indian National Congress's Communications in-charge, urged the Union Minister to "pause, reflect and revisit the project in the present design and detail." He warned that any expeditious push to advance the project would "sound a death knell" for the island's ecology and biodiversity. The letter directly countered several arguments and justifications the Centre has put forward in defence of the development project.

EIA Survey Findings Called Inadequate

A central point of Ramesh's letter was the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report, which he argued was far less rigorous than required. He pointed out that an intensive survey was carried out on both sides of Campbell-Indira Point covering approximately 45 km, surveyed only 8 times over four days. "It is a rapid reconnaissance type of survey and it was not intensive except in non-forest residential areas," he wrote, citing the government's own report. He further noted that the EIA itself acknowledged that surveys within dense forests were feasible only to a limited extent, rendering the environmental clearance granted on those grounds "grossly inadequate."

Compensatory Afforestation Argument Rejected

Ramesh dismissed the Ministry's compensatory afforestation argument — the practice of planting trees elsewhere to offset deforestation — as "completely bogus." This concern was also echoed by Rahul Gandhi during his visit to the Nicobar Islands last month. Ramesh additionally cited assertions by security experts who argued that ecological devastation of such scale was not necessary or befitting for securing the country's strategic and security interests in the region.

Transparency of HPC Report Questioned

Ramesh also raised sharp questions about the confidentiality maintained around the Environment Ministry's High-Powered Committee (HPC) report. He pointed out that the EIA reports, detailed project reports, the master plan for the township, and even the DPR of the airport are all in the public domain. "What is the basis to contend that the HPC report is confidential?" he asked, demanding that the report be made accessible for public scrutiny.

Political Context and What Comes Next

The Congress's sustained campaign against the Great Nicobar project marks a significant escalation in opposition pressure on the Centre over a development initiative that has already drawn scrutiny from environmental groups and tribal rights advocates. Rahul Gandhi's on-ground visit — which included meetings with local community members — lent political weight to concerns that had previously been confined to civil society. It remains to be seen whether the Union Ministry will respond formally to Ramesh's letter or proceed with the current project timeline.