The Union Environment Ministry presented a sealed envelope on Monday, a report of a high-power Committee (HPC) which was designed to re-view the environmental withdrawal of the Great Nicobar Island Mega Infrastructure Project, which is in the six-member bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Chairman Justis Justis Prakash SHRIVAA.
The Ministry of Environment also presented in an additional affidavit filed before the NGT that 80 crore rupees have already been released by the end of March towards wildlife conservation schemes, healthcare set in the terms of statutory environmental approval for the mega project.
This includes leatherback C Turtle, funds issued for Nicobar Megapod protection; Conservation schemes for the conservation of long -tailed macc, coconut crabs, and indigenous flora and fauna among other schemes.
The bench gave the applicant’s counsel time to register a joy for the additional affidavit of the Environment Ministry and postponed the case.
The Environment Ministry said in its affidavit, “It has been politely presented that with relevant documents, the report of a high-power committee has been brought into a seal envelope for the type of this tribunal.”
A six -member bench environmental activist and researcher headed by Justice Srivastava was listening to the cases filed by Ashish Kothari on the alleged environmental violation in the project.
Additional affidavit of the Ministry of Environment was filed by HPC in response to the NGT’s instructions to record follow-up works and results after re-viewing the statutory environmental withdrawal of the project.
The six-member bench said in its order on 24 March, “No documents or decisions with the application of the mind and the result of re-showing the EC is recorded or shown.”
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The Ministry of Environment had demanded a adjournment to find out whether the decision to re -view environmental withdrawal was recorded on paper.
HPC was formed in April 2023 on the orders of the NGT, addressing the “unanswered deficiencies”, which included coral protection about the impact of a port and airport -related mega project, the portion of the port in a prohibited area and limited baseline data collections. The NGT did not interfere with the environment and forest approval given for the project.
The HPC concluded that the environmental withdrawal and coastal regulation of the project followed the immediate statutory provisions. It was said that no part of the project came out of the coastally sensitive areas, while it was said that it was said that the environment ministry was required to translate around 16,510 coral colonies to the project, according to an affidavit filed last year. The HPC report is yet to be made public as the Center considered it confidential.
A project of Rs 81,000 crore includes an integrated international container transmission terminal, a township, a civic and military use airport and the construction of 450 MVA gas and solar-based power plant. Spread over 166 sq km, it will require a twist of 130.75 sq km forests, more than one million trees.
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The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are implementing the Integrated Development Corporation Limited (ANIIDCO) project.
After preparing its report by HPC, it was sent to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration, and directed it to take appropriate action regarding conclusions and recommendations. In addition, it has been said that in compliance with HPC report, an overlapping committee was formed in January 2024, in which the Chief Secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Administration, and representatives of India’s Wildlife Institute, India’s Botanical Survey, Joological Survey (ZSI), and ANIDCO, along with others.
According to the affidavit, the committee was received on March 4, and was noted that wildlife conservation schemes in compliance with environmental withdrawal and coastal regulation fields were given to ANIIDCO for wildlife conservation schemes, funds of 88.69-crores for special medical unit. A copy of the march meeting is shown in a copy, “According to the date, an amount of Rs 80.84 crore has been released to various research institutes and the APWD (Andaman Public Works Department.”
Out of Rs 80.84 crore, Rs 15.72 crore was released for conservation schemes for leatherback marine turtles, nicobar megapod and saltwater crocodiles at the Wildlife Institute in India. Salim Ali Center for Ornithology received Rs 24.5 crore for conservation schemes for bird heinth risk assessment for proposed airport, conservation of coconut crabs, and long -tailed Macc.
An amount of Rs 23.55 crore was released to ZSI for conservation and management of coral reefs of Great Nicobar Islands, and conservation management for entertainment marine organisms of Great Nicobar Island.
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“It has been presented that, in addition to addressing the issues raised by the NGT, HPC also discussed several issues related to EC/CRZ terms, logistics, and financial assistance for committees and organizations/institutions,”
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