Port Blair, Aug 21: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday condemned what he called the continuing “march of grave ecological folly in Great Nicobar”, welcoming the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration’s withdrawal of an Expression of Interest (EoI) that sought feasibility proposals for a proposed private-sector data centre project.
Ramesh flags environmental, tribal and legal concerns
The Rajya Sabha MP and the party’s general secretary in charge of communications said the public campaign to save Great Nicobar from large-scale development would continue, even as the Centre was, in his words, “planting new reasons for going ahead with it”. He referred to the overall Great Nicobar Island Development Project — a package that envisages a transshipment port, an airport and extensive tourism development — and urged that it not be pursued further.
“Genuine local and national interest demands that the project (the holistic project to build an airport, transshipment port, and tourism-led township) not be taken forward.”
Mr Ramesh also pointed to opposition from the local Tribal Council of Great and Little Nicobar and noted legal challenges in the Calcutta High Court to clearances that have been granted for the broader project. He described the proposed data centre as “big energy-guzzling”, saying the EoI’s withdrawal should be permanent.
EoI for data centre issued, then withdrawn
The administration had, earlier this month, published an EoI seeking private-sector interest in developing a green AI data centre near Little Andaman and Great Nicobar. Within four days of issuing the call for feasibility proposals, the administration withdrew the EoI document, stating “administrative reasons”. Mr Ramesh said he hoped the withdrawal would not be only temporary.
Members of the Tribal Council have said that locals on Great Nicobar were not informed about any proposal to explore a data centre on their island, according to the statement quoted by Mr Ramesh.
What is at stake
The controversy connects to the broader ₹91,000 crore Great Nicobar Island Development Project, a multi-component infrastructure plan that has already drawn strong objections from tribal representatives and environmental activists. The EoI episode added to concerns about new initiatives being advanced without what opponents say is adequate local consultation.
| Item | Details from statement |
|---|---|
| Major project | Great Nicobar Island Development Project (airport, transshipment port, tourism township) |
| Estimated cost | ₹91,000 crore |
| Recent EoI | Private-sector-led green AI data centre — issued then withdrawn within four days |
| Opposition | Tribal Council of Great and Little Nicobar; cases in Calcutta High Court |
Local consultation and legal process
Mr Ramesh emphasised the need to weigh local and national interest before proceeding with projects that, he argued, could inflict lasting ecological damage. He highlighted that objections raised by the Tribal Council and cases pending in the Calcutta High Court bear upon the legality and acceptability of clearances already granted for the island plan.
The administration’s brief public explanation for withdrawing the EoI cited “administrative reasons”. The details of those reasons, and whether the EoI might be reissued in a different form, were not specified in the statement quoted by Mr Ramesh.
Implications for governance and environment
The episode underlines tensions between development ambitions and environmental and tribal rights in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It also raises questions about transparency and stakeholder engagement in decisions that affect ecologically sensitive islands.
- Political angle: Opposition leaders are using the EoI episode to underline perceived disregard for environmental safeguards and tribal consultation.
- Legal angle: Pending litigation in the Calcutta High Court challenges clearances already granted for the wider Great Nicobar project.
- Administrative angle: The administration’s withdrawal of the EoI cited “administrative reasons” without further public detail.
Mr Ramesh’s statement was posted on social media and drew attention to both the new EoI episode and the ongoing contestation over the larger development plan. The future of the Great Nicobar proposals will remain contested on political, legal and environmental grounds unless there is clearer public engagement and judicial resolution of the pending cases.
