Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP, has voiced significant concerns regarding the ₹81,000 crore Great Nicobar Island Development Project, which he describes as a 'recipe for ecological disaster.' In a letter to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, dated May 16, Ramesh argues that the project, which encompasses a deep-sea transshipment port, an international airport, a township, and a power plant over 16,610 hectares, poses severe risks to the island's environment and its indigenous communities, the Nicobarese and Shompen. Ramesh criticizes the government's justification of the project on security grounds, asserting that it primarily serves commercial interests and does not enhance military capabilities. He also highlights procedural irregularities in obtaining tribal consent under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), claiming that the government failed to follow due process. Ramesh's previous letters to other ministers have similarly challenged the project's legitimacy. Additionally, three public interest litigations have been filed in the Calcutta High Court against the project, with a hearing set for June 23. Ramesh suggests expanding existing naval facilities as a more environmentally responsible alternative.