Editor’s Take note
The authorities is going whole steam in advance with its misguided strategies for Fantastic Nicobar Island.
Less than the euphemism of “holistic development”, the govt is likely whole steam in advance with a misguided program to change Good Nicobar Island into a trade, tourism, and tactic hub. Dreamt up by mandarins in NITI Aayog, the strategy contains a container transshipment terminal, global airport, and township.
Why is this sheer madness? Since the total space of the island is about 900 sq km. Due to the fact approximately all of this place is a selected tribal reserve. Since the island’s populace is a sparse 8,000 and the prepare sees this inflammation to far more than 300,000. Simply because the task will ruin near to a million trees of a pristine rainforest. Because for millennia Fantastic Nicobar has been residence to the Nicobarese and the Shompen, and the approach will evict them from their homelands.
Sure, the archipelago occupies a vital strategic place that enables India to watch sea lanes in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Certainly, the islands want economic and materials progress. But these components can be tackled by little and self-contained techniques that do not threaten the ecology or the indigene inhabitants. Why this vulgarity of ambition that wants to annihilate every thing?
Meanwhile, 15,000 km absent, Brazil, which is residence to approximately 60 per cent of the Amazon rainforest, noticed a new President acquire office environment on January 1. After four several years of Jair Bolsonaro’s ravaging of forest deal with, Lula da Silva came to electric power on the guarantee of zero deforestation. Ironical that India is likely the reverse way.
As often, Frontline delivers jointly various authorities to study the issue from many proportions, and they appear to one particular conclusion—the challenge will be ecologically, structurally, and anthropologically destructive. Will the governing administration shell out heed?
