The Biobrio 8(1 & 2), 2021

Proposed megacity in A & N Islands: An ecological perspective

Uma Shanker Singh, Ashok Chaudhary and Jyoti Kumar

ABSTRACT:

Proposed as a 'sustainable' and 'holistic' developmental project, the NITI Aayog's Sustainable Development of Little Andaman Island project will be one of the largest development projects to be undertaken in these islands. The project spans over 680 sq.km and is aimed at harnessing the strategic location of these islands for trade, tourism, and defence. In addition to these zones, the document also emphasized plans to develop the transportation sectors to make these islands more accessible by air, land, and sea. The plans included the creation of a) A 'Global Airport' deemed vital for growth, equipped to deal with all types of planes b) An expansion of the existing jetty on the island c) A 100 km ring highway and d) A mass fast transit community with stations at common intervals. As ambitious and attractive a project this may seem, the concerns it raises environmentally, ecologically, socio-culturally and financially, from its initial phase of planning itself are numerous.

Keywords:    

Semi Evergreen forest, fragile biodiversity, indigenous tribes, carbon sequestration

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