Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam asks PM Modi to revoke clearance for Great Nicobar Island mission

The ecological wealth of Great Nicobar Island can’t be recreated, the Rajya Sabha MP has stated.
| Photo Credit: File photograph

Rajya Sabha MP Binoy Viswam on Friday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revoke the clearance offered for the diversion of almost 130.75 sq.km of forest space within the Great Nicobar island for a improvement mission.

In a letter to Mr. Modi, the Communist Party of India MP stated: “The government’s justification of compensatory afforestation is ill-advised as the ecological wealth destroyed… cannot be created elsewhere”.

The Union Environment Ministry has in precept granted its permission for the diversion of almost 130.75 sq km forest space within the Great Nicobar island for a improvement mission, the place a trans-shipment port, an airport, an influence plant and a greenfield township will come up. Estimated to price ₹72,000 crore, the mission by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation (ANIIDCO) will see the felling of almost 8.5 lakh bushes.

Mr. Viswam stated the Great Nicobar Island was one of many best-preserved tropical forests on this planet with 650 species of flora and 330 species of fauna, together with endemic species. The mission would injury the ecological steadiness of the area and the way forward for these wildlife can be  in jeopardy, the MP stated.

“The time has come for the government to stop this practice of treating the environment as a commodity under its ownership and to understand that we are merely its ‘possessors’,” the letter stated.  

The Member of Parliament stated that the federal government’s obsession for the “easing of doing business” in such a way would have an effect on the ‘Right to Life’ assured by Article 21 of the Constitution. “It is our duty to preserve the environment for future generations”. 

He additionally drew consideration to the BJP manifesto for General Election 2014 promising to “set up foolproof mechanisms for protection and preservation of wildlife” and “nurture the environment, institutions, people”.

“In light of above, I strongly urge you to ensure that the clearance provided is revoked at the earliest in the interest of our environment,” the letter to the Prime Minister stated.