Great Nicobar project a commercial enterprise; unique biodiversity being endangered: Jairam Ramesh to Bhupender Yadav
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has criticized the Great Nicobar Island Project, labeling it a commercial enterprise that threatens unique biodiversity. He argues that the current environmental impact assessments are insufficient and fail to meet legal standards.
Why it matters
The project highlights the ongoing tension between large-scale infrastructure development and environmental conservation in ecologically sensitive regions.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday (June 3, 2026) wrote to Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, saying the Great Nicobar Island Project as presently conceived is "overwhelmingly a commercial enterprise" and the unique biodiversity of the area is being endangered. In his response to Mr. Yadav s letter of May 27 which was a reply to his earlier letter, Mr. Ramesh said his letter on May 10 was a simple plea to comply, in letter and spirit, with the law in assessing the ecological impacts of the Project in a comprehensive manner, given that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report of March 2022 itself had stated that it is only a rapid reconnaissance study.
The article focuses on the opposition's critique of government policy, highlighting environmental concerns over development goals.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in