Controversy Surrounds Gram Sabha Quorum for Great Nicobar Island Project
Gram Sabhas that gave nod to Nicobar project did not have mandatory 50% quorum
The Hindu
Image: The Hindu
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration is facing scrutiny for allegedly failing to meet the required 50% quorum at Gram Sabha meetings held to approve the ₹92,000-crore Great Nicobar Island project. Attendance figures ranged from 2% to 15% of the population, raising questions about the legitimacy of the consent obtained.
- 01The administration claimed quorum despite attendance being as low as 2%.
- 02Three Gram Sabha meetings were held, covering seven villages, but only 4.6% of the population consented.
- 03The Tribal Council of Little and Great Nicobar withdrew consent, but the administration deemed it legally ineffective.
- 04Legal challenges question both the Gram Sabha resolutions and the representation of tribal communities.
- 05The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs argues it is not a necessary party in the ongoing legal proceedings.
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The Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration is under fire for not achieving the mandated 50% quorum at Gram Sabha meetings aimed at securing consent for the ₹92,000-crore Great Nicobar Island project. Instead, attendance figures reportedly ranged from 2% to 15% of the local population. The administration held three meetings on August 12, 2022, for Campbell Bay, Laxmi Nagar, and Govind Nagar Gram Panchayats, where a total of 349 attendees (about 4.6% of the total population of 7,519) passed resolutions consenting to the project. Legal petitions have emerged, challenging the legitimacy of these resolutions and arguing that the Nicobarese and Shompen tribal communities, who are represented through the Tribal Council, were not adequately consulted. The Tribal Council had previously withdrawn consent for the project, but the administration dismissed this withdrawal as procedurally invalid. The case is currently being heard by the Calcutta High Court, which is considering the legality of the Gram Sabha resolutions and the administration's compliance with the Forest Rights Act (FRA).
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The outcome of this legal challenge could significantly affect the future of the Great Nicobar Island project and the rights of local tribal communities.
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