Jairam Ramesh, a senior Congress leader, has expressed strong opposition to the Great Nicobar Island Development Project, alleging that the environmental clearances were based on insufficient studies. In a letter to Bhupinder Yadav, the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ramesh stated that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process has been compromised, calling the reports an 'insult to science.' He highlighted the need for multi-season studies due to the fragile ecosystems in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, referencing a 2009 memorandum that mandates comprehensive EIAs for significant port projects. Ramesh criticized the limited data collection timeframe of the existing assessments, which he argued do not meet the necessary environmental standards. He also pointed out that the government’s claim of managing ecological impacts effectively is misleading. Ramesh urged the government to make the High-Powered Committee's report public, emphasizing the need for transparency in environmental governance. He warned that the unique biodiversity of Great Nicobar Island is at risk of irreversible damage due to the project, which aims to establish a strategic maritime hub. The project includes infrastructure such as an International Container Transhipment Terminal and a Greenfield International Airport, but Ramesh insists that ecological concerns must take precedence.