Nicobar Island Residents Fury as Government Keeps Environmental Report Secret
Residents of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Frustrated as Government Keeps Key Report Under Wraps
Deep within the vibrant markets of Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 32-year-old local fisherman, Rohan Singh, expresses his concern over the looming fate of his beloved islands.
The Great Nicobar Project, a massive development plan worth ₹81,000 crores, has been proposed to transform the remote Great Nicobar Island into a strategic military hub and commercial port.
Updated: June 4, 2026
Residents of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Frustrated as Government Keeps Key Report Under Wraps
Deep within the vibrant markets of Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 32-year-old local fisherman, Rohan Singh, expresses his concern over the looming fate of his beloved islands. The Great Nicobar Project, a massive development plan worth ₹81,000 crores, has been proposed to transform the remote Great Nicobar Island into a strategic military hub and commercial port. However, what isn’t making headlines is a crucial report by the High Powered Committee (HPC) that supposedly evaluated the project’s environmental impact.
According to government sources, the Finance Ministry’s own expert panel once flagged the project as ‘lacking strategic objectives.’ This raises alarm among residents like Rohan, whose livelihoods are intricately tied to the delicate ecosystem of the Nicobar Islands.
In an exclusive conversation, Rohan shares, We’ve seen the effects of climate change ravage our shores, and now we fear that this massive project will forever alter the balance of our island’s fragile ecosystem. We deserve transparency on the true costs of this project.
It’s been months since activists and residents have been pressing the government to make public the contents of the HPC report. The project’s proponents cite national security concerns, claiming the report’s details could jeopardize the country’s strategic interests. However, the Centre’s decision to keep the report under wraps has sparked outrage.
Rohan points out, If the government is so concerned about national security, how can we trust them to protect this island’s unique biodiversity, which is a treasure not just for India but for the world?
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are home to unique flora and fauna found nowhere else on Earth. The government’s decision to prioritize the project’s strategic value over environmental concerns raises broader questions about the accountability of our leaders towards their citizens and the planet they swear to protect.
As concerns over the project escalate, residents are coming together to demand answers. Their voices are part of a growing movement that underscores the importance of transparent decision-making, particularly when it concerns public land and natural resources.
The fate of the Great Nicobar Island hangs in the balance, leaving many like Rohan to question the true cost of development and whether it’s possible to achieve growth without sacrificing the very essence of our islands.
The government's reluctance to release the High Powered Committee report on the Great Nicobar Project may indicate a deeper unease with the public's growing distrust of their decision-making process – a distrust that threatens to upend the balance of power in this island nation. By prioritizing secrecy over transparency, the government may inadvertently be revealing the very real costs of its policies: a shrinking public trust.
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