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The Congress connected Monday (February 16, 2026) termed arsenic “deeply disappointing” the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) clearance to the Great Nicobar task and said determination is wide grounds that the task volition person “disastrous ecological impacts”.
A six-member peculiar seat of the NGT disposed of challenges to the mega infrastructure project and concluded that it recovered “no bully crushed to interfere”, arsenic determination were “adequate safeguards” successful the project’s biology clearance.
Congress wide caput in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh pointed retired that the substance is, however, inactive nether statement successful the Calcutta High Court and said that present is the lone beacon of hope.
“The determination of the National Green Tribunal giving its support to the Great Nicobar task is profoundly disappointing. There is wide grounds that the task volition person disastrous ecological impacts,” helium said.
“The conditions for its clearance, that the NGT draws notation to, volition bash small to woody with these semipermanent consequences. The substance is, however, inactive nether statement successful the Calcutta High Court that present is the lone beacon of hope,” the erstwhile Environment Minister said successful a station connected X.
Mr. Ramesh said that helium has had “animated exchanges” with Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav connected the project. The Congress person shared the exchanges successful which helium has powerfully opposed the task and demanded its scrapping.
The erstwhile Union Minister shared an nonfiction that said the mega-infrastructure initiative, which envisions transforming the distant outpost into a large transshipment and defence hub, has sparked procedural, ecological and displacement concerns.
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi had earlier slammed the task and alleged that the BJP-led authorities has made a mockery of ineligible and deliberative processes nether the project.
Terming the Great Nicobar infrastructure task a “planned misadventure”, Ms. Gandhi had said past twelvemonth that it poses an existential information to the island’s indigenous tribal communities and is being insensitively pushed through.
This was countered by Environment Minister Yadav, who had claimed that each clearances were obtained, and defended the task arsenic indispensable for the country's development.
