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ARTICLE AD BOX
2 min readUpdated: Feb 16, 2026 11:01 AM IST
Great Nicobar, the southernmost and largest of the Nicobar Islands, spans 910 sq km and is sparsely inhabited, mostly covered by tropical rainforest in the southeastern Bay of Bengal.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has cleared the Nicobar mega project, stating there is no ground to intervene, citing the “adequate safeguards” provided in the environmental clearance.
The counsel for the appellant challenging the clearances for the Rs 81,000 crore Great Nicobar Islands development and infrastructure project told the NGT that fragile “no-go” coastal areas in Galathea Bay of Great Nicobar Island should be excluded from the project, arguing that law prohibits any activity in these ecologically sensitive zones.
A six-member bench, headed by Justice Prakash Shrivastava, began fresh hearings on two key petitions opposing the project. The pleas allege violations of the Island Coastal Regulation Zone (ICRZ) 2019 notification and seek a review of the environmental clearance granted for the mega project.
Conceived by NITI Aayog and launched in 2021, the Great Nicobar Island (GNI) infrastructure project includes construction of an international container transshipment terminal, a township, a 450 MVA gas- and solar-based power plant, and a dual-use civilian and military airport, spread over 166 sq km.
The project is being implemented by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation and aligns with India’s Maritime Vision 2030. It is also a key initiative under the Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. Concerns have been raised about potential ICRZ violations and the displacement of two particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs)—the Nicobarese and Shompen.
Great Nicobar, the southernmost and largest of the Nicobar Islands, spans 910 sq km and is sparsely inhabited, mostly covered by tropical rainforest in the southeastern Bay of Bengal. Indira Point, India’s southernmost tip, lies just 90 nautical miles (less than 170 km) from Sabang at northern Sumatra, Indonesia.
The island hosts two national parks, a biosphere reserve, small populations of Shompen and Nicobarese tribal peoples, and a few thousand non-tribal settlers. The Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve was included in UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere (MAB) Program in 2013.
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