Jairam Ramesh criticised the Defence Ministry for taking “over six years” to make a statement on the proposed airport on Great Nicobar Island (GNI).(Express/File photo)
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday wrote to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, urging him to reconsider the government’s rejection of the full expansion of INS Baaz Naval Air Station on the Great Nicobar Island, as doing so would minimize the ecological impacts of the Great Nicobar Island project compared to the greenfield airport planned at Gandhi Nagar -Shastri Nagar.
Referring to recent media reports based on the Defence Ministry’s assertion that the INS Baaz on Campbell Bay could not be extended beyond 4,500 feet due to ecological impacts, the former environment minister questioned it and pointed out the ecological impacts of the airport site chosen by the Centre.
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Ramesh also criticised the ministry for taking “over six years” to make a statement on the proposed airport on Great Nicobar Island (GNI). He stated that it was compelled to do so because the “disastrous ecological impacts” of GNI project have become all too evident and have invited widespread concern.
“I request you to reconsider your rejection of the full expansion of INZ Baaz Runway that has been recommended by some distinguished naval personnel themselves,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.
Defence Ministry sources had earlier said that INS Baaz will not be expanded to the planned 10,000 ft as it requires significant land reclamation and impacts the tribal area, flora, and fauna.
Ramesh said that the proposed dual-use purpose airport would require cutting two forest-covered hills of 115 metres, affect 225 acres of protected forest and 130 acres of deemed forest, which are part of the territory of the Shompen tribal community.
“The proposed site sits directly on about 142 acres of Island Coastal Regulation Zone – 1A, which enjoys the highest protection under the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2019, and that includes turtle nesting beaches, corals, and nesting grounds of the endangered Nicobar Megapode,” he said.
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Ramesh added that the airport site also affects 234 ex-servicemen settler families, who reside in two villages, and they will have to undergo relocation for a third time in recent years.
Moreover, the site, he said, was not subject to a serious and systematic environmental impact assessment, especially since Great Nicobar has been designated as an Important Bird Area.